In the Philippines, the main rice crop is currently growing, while maize has reached maturity and is about to be harvested. Nationwide, radiation was slightly above average (RADPAR,+2%), while rainfall (RAIN) was 6% below average, resulting from the recent ElNiño impacts in the Asia-Pacific region; the biomass accumulation potential (BIOMSS) shows a significant decrease of 8%. The average national maximum VCI was 0.88 and the cropped arable land fraction (CALF) remained the same as during 2015. Considering the spatial patterns of NDVI profiles, crop conditionin Caraga and Bicol region was above average during the whole monitoring period. In Soccsksargen and northern Mindanao, crop condition was much below average due to seasonal rainfall deficits from March to May, then recovered toaverage in June. NDVI in the beginning of May was significantly below average but returned to the maximum value in late-July. Altogether, the output of the main season rice is expected to be about average or just below.

Figure 3.24. Philippines crop condition, April-July 2016

(a)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI                            (b)Maximum VCI

(c)Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                                     (d)NDVI profiles