With the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) having warned for a “moderate to very strong” El Niño for the rest of the year.
According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is aiming for a task force on El Niño to be readied soon in preparation fot the dry spell, especially the agriculture sector, later this year.
PAGASA said that an active El Niño in the tropical Pacific will intensify into a “very strong” event between September and December 2026 and will persist through the first half of 2027.
It also warned that a very strong El Niño can cause droughts, water shortages, power supply interruptions, and extreme heat that could pose health risks to people especially children and the elderly.
“Kinausap na ang NIA (National Irrigation Administration) kung papaano makakatulong ang irigasyon, kung paano dapat masolusyunan ang paparating na Super El Niño – isa ito sa ikinababahala ng Pangulo,” Castro said, adding Marcos is concerned about the effects of El Niño and wants the country to prepare accordingly.
“So, ngayon pa lang ay talagang ang task force ay ipinahahanda para hindi maapektuhan ang ating mga magsasaka.”
The Palace official noted that farmers are encouraged to plant appropriate crops for a particular season, such as drought-resistant crops during times of prolonged dry spells and suitable planting materials for the wet season.
Moreover, the government is also developing thousands of hectares of irrigated land to boost farmers’ productivity and build their capacity amid climate change, including the El Niño phenomenon.
Back in 2023 and preceeding the drought in 2024, President Marcos ordered the creation of a coordinating body led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to consolidate all measures to mitigate the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon.
Based on the National Action Plan for El Niño at the time, the government identified sectors where plans and activities are being laid out to mitigate the effects of El Niño, which were water, food, power, health, and public safety.
It then intensified efforts to assist affected areas and encouraged the people to conserve resources, such as water and energy.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture is seeking PHP10 billion to fund scientific measures to mitigate the effects of El Niño on farmlands.
That is on top of the PHP6.2 billion that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) already released for fuel and fertilizer subsidies to affected farmers and fisherfolk, while another PHP3.5 billion was earmarked for building solar irrigation facilities.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the DA’s interventions are targeted at specific areas will use scientific methods.
For their part, PAGASA weather specialist Chris Perez emphasized the possible impact of the phenomenon.
“Kapag may El Niño ay karaniwang nagiging madalang ang ating weather systems na nagdudulot ng pag-ulan at kadalasan ay nakakaranas ng kakulangan sa suplay ng tubig, mapa-irrigation, power generation, just to name a few,” he said.
According to him, the water and energy sectors should have plans in place to address anticipated water and power supply and demand problems, adding the need for proper management of the water supply.
“Siyempre kapag nandiyan na ang El Niño, dapat ‘yung pagtitipid natin sa tubig, i-maximize po natin ang paggamit ng tubig dahil alam natin na magiging madalang ang mga pag-ulan sa ating bansa sa panahon ng El Niño,” the weatherman noted, who also stressed that the public should continuously monitor the situation.
