Government bracing for El Niño

MANILA, Philippines — The government is drafting measures this early to address the effects of El Niño, which is expected to develop in the third quarter of this year, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Philippines is familiar with the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, which is associated with below-normal rainfall.

“We have experienced El Niño in the past, this is not something new. The DA is readying concrete measures to address it,” Castro said, referring to the Department of Agriculture.

She said the National Irrigation Administration has been directed to identify areas expected to be affected by the reduced rainfall including the Magat Dam, the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems and other irrigation systems.

A detailed mapping of rain-fed farms led by the Philippine Rice Research Institute in partnership with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management is being carried out, Castro said.

“DA regional field offices have been tasked to costantly monitor vulnerable areas based on historical El Niño data so interventions can be more accurate and localized. These are just a few of the initiatives the DA is doing to mitigate the impact,” she said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has raised an El Niño alert level after the possibility of the phenomenon to develop has reached 79 percent.

The below-normal rainfall condition is expected to  occur from June to August and may persist until next year.

During an El Niño event, an increased possibility of drier-than-usual conditions prevails, which can lead to negative impacts such as droughts and dry spells in some parts of the country.