THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed P1.27 million worth of family food packs and other relief aid to more than 79,000 families who are affected by the El Niño in four regions.
Data from the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) showed that 79,283 families or 385,884 persons from 310 barangays in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula are heavily affected by the El Niño.
The DROMIC also reported that many of the affected areas experienced dry conditions that resulted in agricultural damage and water shortages.
It added that “the absence of rainfall, leading to dwindling water sources, has posed a significant challenge to farmers in irrigating their crops such as rice, onions, and vegetables.”
The DSWD assured the public that it still has P73.94 million funds and P2.025 billion worth of stockpiles of food packs and other relief items on standby and ready for distribution.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has reported that while there are already evident signs of weakening of the climate condition, the effects of El Niño is still expected to persist until “the March-April-May 2024 season, with a high probability of transitioning to neutral conditions in April-May-June”.
