Conserve, save resources
the state weather bureau added.
“The public might be confused because of the rains experienced in Mindanao due to the shearline. But we are in the middle of El Niño and this is expected to worsen until May,” Nepomuceno said. “Almost the entire Philippines will suffer from a 90-day drought that will affect 65 provinces from the north to Mindanao. If it is up to me, the preparation should include the whole Philippines.”
In December last year, President Marcos ordered the creation of the El Niño Task Force, composed of various government agencies and led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), to consolidate all measures to mitigate the impacts of the phenomenon.
Nepomuceno, who concurrently serves as the executive director of the NDRRMC, said the task force is focused on addressing the immediate impact of El Niño to the food supply, energy resource, health, security, and water.
This month, the official said, the OCD does not see any adverse situation related to the dry spell although it has received a report that some deep wells in Bukidnon have already dried up last week.
“We will send water filtration machines to help the people there. But if more provinces request for assistance, our water filtration machines are not enough to provide immediate potable water. The [water supply] for farm needs is a separate issue, too,” Nepomuceno said. “If the situation worsens, we cannot say that our preparation is at 100 percent. We can only mitigate the impact but the 100 percent resolution of the problem needs a long-term solution, ingenious solution.”
The long-term solution, according to Nepomuceno, includes building infrastructure such as catch basins and water irrigation canals for the farmers.
“We also need immediate solutions. For example, we need to open alternative deep wells to augment the water in areas that are expected to be affected,” he said. “We are all affected by this so the small contributions, like water conservation, will be a big help in the end.”