Addressing El Niño

WE ARE encouraged by the Presidential statement earlier on that his 10-month administration has plans to ensure the country’s agricultural sector would not be badly jabbed by the impact of a possible El Niño phenomenon.

He told farmers at an event in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, right in the bosom of the rice granary of the Central Plains, that government officials are crafting plans to ensure that water supply would not be reduced.

He ordered the creation of an El Niño unit and told government agencies to prepare for the said phenomenon, as chances of a dry spell continued to increase, which underlined weathermen’s announcement the PAGASA might issue an El Niño alert by May.

In a separate interview, Mr. Marcos stressed the need to ensure the country’s water supply to mitigate the effects of El Niño, adding the government was looking for ways to “convert our dependence of water supply from underground water to surface water,” and one way was to make use of the rainwater and conserve it until needed.

At the same time, we are a bit flustered by the statement of former agriculture secretary and Federation of Free Farmers president Leonardo Montemayor the production of vegetables will be affected by the El Niño phenomenon in the agriculture sector.

Montemayor added El Niño could result in a supply shortage with vegetables in the country, with the real impact of this weather phenomenon starting to be felt from July onwards.

We note the palay harvest for the dry season crop is ongoing. At least the impact on palay is not yet felt, but, according to Montemayor, for other crops that need water, like vegetables, these are already affected.

Earlier on, Climatology and Agrometeorology division chief Dr. Marcelino Villafuerte II of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)’s Impact Assessment and Applications Section, said the weather bureau might increase the El Niño alert status in May.

“Overall, if there is an issue with water due to lack of rains and high temperature, it affects the water for vegetables. Farmers should make sure their crops receive enough water,” Montemayor noted.

We understand the increasing anxiety of farmers, since the drought will not only affect the crops, the high temperature will also affect animals.

There is also a greater possibility that more problems will erupt like a red tide.

Montemayor is on track when he says we really need to be prepared, pointing out, as chaser of a thought, the water for irrigation is also affected, particularly with the continuous drop in the level of Angat Dam, which supplies the requirement of at least 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

But President Marcos Jr.’s statement should raise the confidence of not just the farmers but all Filipinos standing on El Niño’s helpless path.

President Marcos Jr.’s statement should raise the confidence of not just the farmers but all Filipinos standing on El Niño’s helpless path