The government is preparing measures to mitigate the effects of the possible severe El Niño that might affect the country starting later this year.
During an interview on Tuesday, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. led a meeting on Monday (May 25) to craft measures and coordinate efforts on how the government could respond to an impending drought that will be caused by a possible “super El Niño.”
“Kahapon nagkaroon kami ng pagpupulong, ang Pangulo… Pinag-aaralan na rin natin ‘yung response ng ating pamahalaan pagdating sa El Niño. Dahil, we might have a severe El Niño,” said Recto. “So we looked at the past, what did government do, what worked. And nagpaplano na tayo diyan para maibsan ‘yung epekto ng El Niño sa ating lahat.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) previously announced that El Niño will hit the country 79 percent of the time from June to August this year and will last until the first half of 2027.
The state weather bureau also urged the public and LGUs to intensify water conservation during the upcoming period of severe drought.
Meanwhile, regarding the meeting of the country’s economic managers, Recto noted that the government is optimistic that the growth figures for the second and third quarters growths mwill be much better than the first quarter figures.
There’s lower first quarter growth, which slumped to 2.8%, is viewed as a result of the flood control controversy with the government opting to limit expenditures.
In the second quarter, a war erupted in the Middle East, resulting in petroleum prices to shoot up, in which the government does not have control.
In relation to that, Recto also highlighted the government’s immediate response to the crisis in the Middle East where about two million Filipinos have benefited from various government aid and support programs, under the Administration’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Program.
“Wala naman tayo masyadong control diyan. But having said that, I think maganda ang naging response ng gobyerno sa pagdating sa Mideast crisis, sa pagtaas ng presyo ng langis,” said the Palace official.
“Mahigit kumulang, dalawang milyon ang natulungan ng ating pamahalaan, maibsan ‘yung krisis. At mayroon ako nakitang survey na 75 percent approval ang taumbayan sa UPLIFT program na ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan.”