Strong El Niño

We are currently enjoying cool weather, something that is always welcome. Jackets almost forgotten in closets have started to come out. The northeast monsoon or “amihan” brings cool winds to the country. It recorded 19.9 degrees Celsius last Saturday, the lowest for Metro Manila. In Benguet Province, 9.7 degrees Celsius has been recorded, the lowest this year. Let's all enjoy the cool, comfortable weather while it lasts. Soon, it will all fade away. Indeed, a strong El Niño is forecast by PAGASA which may last well until May.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) warned that due to the strong El Niño, 65 provinces may experience drought. Some places are already experiencing it due to the lack of rain. When March is upon us, we may well start experiencing that all-too-familiar blast of heat. April and May offer much of the same, if not worse.

It doesn't help that the price of electricity goes up or worse if brownouts start occurring in some areas. Right now, the water levels are still normal in Angat, Ipo, and La Mesa dams. But due to the lack of rain, these levels will start a downward trend. This is what we go through every year. When the temperatures rise, brownouts occur while water is rationed. Farmers suffer the most during a drought with crops drying up and dying.

Concerned agencies such as the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and water companies should work to meet the issues that surround the dry season. The suffering of the hardest hit needs to be alleviated. These are the farmers who need irrigation, small businesses that rely on electricity, and even consumers who keep the economy healthy. The dry season is always a big challenge. It does have a silver lining in the form of an influx of tourists who come to enjoy our beautiful beaches. But other sectors do suffer.

Speaking of the coming hot weather, let's add the latest heat brewing between President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and the family of former president Duterte. It seems their friendship of convenience is over after Duterte and his children let loose tirades on Marcos typical of the Duterte Family during a rally in Davao City simultaneous with the Bagong Pilipinas rally in Manila. Duterte even threatens to return to power. Read into that all you want. This is a distraction the current administration could do without. There are more pressing issues other than listening to the rants of a political family.

The heat is truly on.