By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As temperatures continue to rise in various parts of the country, Malacañang said that concerned government agencies are already implementing measures to mitigate the adverse effects of a forecast El Niño episode.
In a briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro noted that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has already instructed the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to ensure that irrigation canals do not run out of water to sustain farmlands, especially in Central Luzon.
“Handa ang DA sa mga concrete measures para ito ay maagapan. Inatasan ang National Irrigation Administration na tukuyin pa ang mga lugar na maaapektuhan ng kakulangan ng tubig, kabilang na rito ang mga saklaw ng mga sistemang tulad ng Magat, UPRIIS (Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems) at iba pang irrigation systems.”
Through the efforts of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the DA has likewise intensified its monitoring of El Niño-vulnerable areas, formulating localized interventions and earmarking support for farmers whose harvests will be affected by the dry spell.
Earlier, PAGASA issued an El Niño alert noting the emergence of this weather phenomenon that may develop from June-August and last until early 2027, citing a 79% chance of dry climate and droughts affecting agricultural regions across the archipelago.
Meanwhile, the DA said that the agency has sufficient stocks to augment the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na (BBM Na) program dispensed at KADIWA ng Pangulo sites.
This, as the agency addressed the temporary depletion of supply in certain areas amid rising demand for the government-subsidized staple grain, which benefits Filipinos from vulnerable sectors. (with report from JM Thompson | PTV News)
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