Task Force prepares for La Niña; House eyes ood control measures
DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said on Monday that all government agencies involved in Task Force El Niño (TFEN) have begun preparations for the upcoming La Niña season on the instructions of President Marcos.
Teodoro said this development comes after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) released its forecast that La Niña, or the cooling of surface-ocean waters, will develop during the months of June, July, and August.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part,
will convene a high-level meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss flood preparation and mitigation in Metro Manila and other flood-prone areas in the country.
The head of the 308-strong House of Representatives has asked the secretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), as well as the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman to attend the conference.
“We are seriously preparing for the arrival of La Niña even before it affects our country. PAGASA has raised the alarm so our unity and immediate action is important to protect our communities from possible flooding,” he said.
“Through the cooperation of the DPWH, DENR, DILG, and MMDA, and of course our local government officials, we are strengthening our disaster preparedness and prevention measures to ensure the safety of every Filipino,” he added.
Romualdez said food security, sufficient water supply, energy availability, public health, public safety, mobility, and interconnectivity would be given priority in the preparations.
He said, “The relationship between the national government and local government units needs to be tight in order to implement the actions in the massive preparation that we will do.”
“The order given to us by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will do everything necessary to ensure that the communities and every Filipino family are safe from harm,” he added.
The Defense chief, who chairs the presidential task force, also noted PAGASA’s report that the El Niño weather phenomenon was weakening, but hotter and drier conditions will persist.
“As El Niño diminishes in its intensity, we must now start preparing for the arrival of La Niña, which is expected to bring above normal rainfall in the country,” Teodoro said. “Let’s work to mitigate and minimize the damage it can cause to lives and properties,” he added.
PAGASA also announced that the transition to southwest monsoon may happen during May. Southwest monsoon, popularly known as Habagat, causes rains over the western portion of the Philippines from May to September.