By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Moving to mitigate the anticipated effects of the Super El Niño phenomenon in the Philippines, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. discussed various government preparations that focus on the following aspects: food and water security, agriculture, education, and health.
In a media interview Sunday, he noted that the El Niño Task Force already began meetings to accelerate the implementation of important measures.
President Marcos Jr. said on health interventions, “We met with everyone involved. Inuna ko ‘yung hospital. That, to make sure that hospitals stay open, they have their medical supplies, they have the appropriate supplies for what they anticipate will be the diseases that will come out of a very, very dry season.”
He expounded on agricultural interventions, “The next is to go to agri. Well, agri, we’re okay for our rice supply. We’re all right…we’re starting… harvest season now. Our harvest is good. Hindi na matatamaan ng El Niño. So, okay na tayo for that. It’s the next season that we need to be thinking about.”
The President also said the government will also conduct cloud seeding to induce rainfall, with preparations underway, including scheduling operations and procuring the necessary materials.
On livelihood assistance for affected communities, President Marcos Jr. said the government would support farmers and provide them with the necessary training through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
He added that the government is also eyeing alternative modes of teaching and learning to ensure unhampered education for students amid extreme heat.
On the aspect of food security, the President assured Filipinos of adequate supplies to help weather the worst of the El Niño, “I asked about pork products, about beef, about chicken. Again, the supplies are sufficient.
And in terms of chicken, we in fact have an oversupply of chickens, and we’re overproducing a little bit kaya nagbabagsakan nang kaunti ang presyo.In terms naman of pork, maayos naman. Ang production natin is okay. So, food supply is assured.”
On school shooting incidents, Cabinet changes
When asked by the media about his insights on the recent spate of campus violence in the Philippines, President Marcos Jr. reiterated his firm commitment to address this issue through various measures.
His remarks are in response to questions raised about a bill passed in Congress seeking a ban on minors’ access to high-risk digital services—allegedly the culprit that grooms young people to commit heinous deeds.
The President said, “It’s a terrible thing. And we’re doing everything that we can. So, all of these things. There’s no silver bullet to this. You have to bring many, many things together.”
In line with this, he said that government agencies are already acting upon this dilemma, with the installation of metal detectors and CCTV cameras in campuses complemented by parent and teacher-centric interventions being touted as a solution to this problem.
Recent violent incidents involving minors include the following:
- San Jose National High School – Tacloban, Leyte (June 22)
- Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Zamboanga City (August 18)
- Banga National High School, South Cotabato (September 18)
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive wrapped up the interview by confirming some changes in the lineup of Cabinet members, after he accepted the resignation of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda.
However, as of press time, Aguda will remain in place until a replacement is chosen. On the other hand, he also noted that People’s Television Network (PTV4) General Manager Lino Cayetano will be appointed secretary of the Presidential Communications Office, succeeding PCO Secretary Dave Gomez
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