THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has formed a team tasked to address the effects of El Niño, a weather phenomenon that increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions which could lead to dry spells and droughts.
In a statement, NDRRMC spokesman Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the team was established during a meeting presided by NDRRMC executive director Ariel Nepomuceno which was held on Monday in Camp Aguinaldo.
Alejandro said the team was formed in response to a directive of President Marcos Jr “to implement a whole-of-government approach to prepare for El Niño’s impact to the country by the last quarter of 2023 until the first quarter 2024.”
The special team will be led by the Department of Interior and Local Government, while its members would include the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Energy, Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology, Office of Civil Defense, National Economic and Development Authority, National Irrigation Administration and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.
A support team was also established which is composed of the Presidential Communications Office, Department of Trade and Industry, National Water Resources Board, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“There are several points that we need to address. We need to prepare for the possible worst-case scenario and identify and harmonize short term solutions, medium term, and long-term solutions,” said Nepomuceno.
“The NDRRMC is set to hold a series of meetings to ensure immediate implementation of interventions in preparation for El Niño,” Alejandro also said.
During last Monday’s meeting, Alejandro said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that the El Niño phenomenon “can be felt as early as June to August 2023 with chances of increasing severity towards the first quarter of 2024.”
He said Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Metro Manila, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Albay, Guimaras and the Spratly Islands may experience “below normal rainfall conditions.”
Meanwhile, Alejandro said Ilocos Norte, Bataan and Cavite may experience “way below normal rainfall conditions.”
“The projected impacts of El Niño on other areas including health, energy, environment, and water reservoirs were also tackled in the meeting,” said Alejandro.
Last week, President Marcos ordered the creation of an El Niño team that will focus on mitigating the effects of El Niño. Reports said the President wants a protocol-based and scientific long-term solutions be formulated.
In a radio interview, Alejandro said team members are looking into concerns related to their agencies.
On the case of DA, Alejandro said the agency is taking steps to address potential problems on palay and corn production, livestock, and fisheries.
“We already have initial plan (in the past) which we can re-activate so we will have a good intervention,” said Alejandro.
Alejandro said there is also a need to monitor prices of food supplies as well as ensure balanced distribution of such supplies.
“We are looking at all possible interventions at present while we are under El Niño watch.
While PAGASA said its more or less it’s going to be weak to moderate El Niño, we are preparing for the worst,” he said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it still has over P1.35 billion worth of funds and stockpiles of family food packs and non-food relief items on standby and ready to be distributed to assist those who would be affected by El Niño, especially the farmers and those in the agricultural sector.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with Disaster Response Management Group Assistant Secretary Diana Rose Cajipe, yesterday met online with the DSWD’s regional offices to ensure that funds and other relief items are prepositioned strategically in the department’s warehouses and are readily available for immediate augmentation to local government units (LGUs).
“Currently, the DSWD Central Office, the FOs and the National Resource Operations Center have stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P1.35 billion,” the DSWD said in a news release. This includes around P107 million funds and P1.25 billion in stockpiles.
Gatchalian has also instructed all field offices to continue their monitoring of the situation in their respective areas so that appropriate response can be immediately provided and ensured that no families affected by the phenomenon will go hungry.
Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Teams in the different regions are also on standby and continuously coordinating with the LGUs to determine ways on how to assist those who will be affected by the dry spell, especially the farmers and farm laborers.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reminded students to stay hydrated while attending classes in school amid the extreme heat being experienced in almost the entire country.
In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said students must drink enough water to prevent dehydration.
She likewise said pupils must avoid staying and playing in school grounds during times when the sun is at its hottest.
The health official also said students should wear lighter clothing and bring umbrellas to counter the hot weather.
On the other hand, Vergeire urged school administrators to make sure that there is proper ventilation in the classrooms.
“If there is no air-conditioning, keep doors, windows open and turn on electric fans,” she said.
Vergeire also urged teachers and other school personnel to encourage their students to report symptoms of heat stress, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.
Over the weekend, the Department of Education (DepEd) said schools are given the option to suspend face-to-face classes and shift to modular distance learning when facing extremely high temperatures. — With Gerard Naval
