Alcala says DA to use drone in assessing disaster areas

By Cheneen R. Capon
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking to use advance technology in the Davao Region by using drone in assessing areas damaged by calamities.
Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, in a recent press conference, said they plan to acquire the drone within the year.
DA 11 IT section chief Pamela G. Sosa said their office will allot around P250,000 for the drone.
“It will just be a basic drone because the regional office has limited budget,” Sosa said.
Alcala said DA 11 has lobbied for the purchase of a drone that will be used to get aerial shots of localities hit by disaster and flood like Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and the municipalities of Carmen and Asuncion in Davao del Norte.
The drone is up for bidding for the second time after the first one had failed.
“There were only two bidders during the bidding last February and the requirement is there should be at least three bidders,” Sosa said.
DA 11 is targeting to complete the bidding and procurement stage this month.
Sosa said DA 11 director Remelyn Recoter decided that a drone is necessary for damage-assessment after the Typhoon Pablo hit the region almost three years ago.
“I believe this DA 11 will have the first drone among regional offices of DA 11 in the country,” Sosa said, adding that even the central office probably doesn’t have its own drone.
The drone, she said, will be used to monitor and assess areas planted with major crops like rice, banana, coconut, and corn.
When asked whether the agency prepared any mitigation measures on how to avoid any incident involving members of New People’s Army, Sosa said that most of the critical areas planted with major crops in the region do not have the presence of NPA rebels.
“There’s nothing to worry,” she said.
In December of 2012, Typhoon Pablo struck the provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley leaving traces of a disaster to vast hectares of agricultural areas. Only assumed data from local government units (LGUs) were used as basis as to determine the damage that time.