The National El Niño Team recently convened with both private and international partners to synchronize strategies for addressing the impacts of this climate phenomenon.
Led by Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, representatives from various government agencies responsible for mitigating El Niño’s effects gathered on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
This coordination included participation from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Arise Philippines, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), and UN-Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO), with an aim to align plans, programs, and actions.
“We have already published the national action plan that outlines the short, medium, and long term interventions that we tackled in our previous meetings,” Nepomuceno said.
“However, this document is now being updated as we consult with our partner organizations and as the respective departments implement their interventions,” he added.
Departments such as Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government presented their plans for ensuring food, water, and energy security, as well as public safety during the impending El Niño period.
The team anticipates El Niño conditions from the fourth quarter of this year through the first quarter of 2024, potentially causing below-normal rainfall, dry spells, and droughts in various regions.
Nepomuceno bared that effective and inclusive plans are required to guide actions and account for the diverse circumstances of communities affected by El Niño.
The PDRF and the DOE is collaborating on the national energy contingency plan for maintaining energy security. While the UN-OCHA and the UN-FAO highlighted their past support during El Niño events, including supplying agricultural tools to farming communities.
According to state weather bureau PAGASA, a moderate El Niño is already present in the tropical Pacific and is predicted to intensify in the coming months.
