El Niño mitigation plans out this week —Marcos

The Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) will release this week recommended measures to help address the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, the Presidential Communications Office said.

The move came following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directives for the newly created water body "to mitigate the effects of El Niño ...at least for this year."

“We will have a plan for the mitigation of the effects of El Niño this week. I just spoke to the Secretary of DENR this morning and she has told me that she will be prepared to make public what needs to be done,” Marcos said during a meeting in Malacañang.

He said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) are working with the WRMO for the plan to address the dry spell.

The WRMO, created under EO 22, is under the DENR.

Marcos also announced he has tapped former Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson to help the government in coming up with the solution to the problem.

Singson, a water management expert, will help with the contingency measure for El Niño and in crafting an overall plan for the Philippines.

“Because we have enough surface water. It’s just a question of protecting it. We are designing now a system of catchment basins not only for flood control. The original plan was only for flood control. But now, we have said we have to… that flood control always now includes irrigation and sometimes even power, if we can do it,” Marcos said.

He said the NIA will rely on the dams for continuous supply of water for the irrigation of lands.

He also said the hot and humid weather being felt today is not yet the onset of El Niño.

“We haven’t felt – people think that this is El Niño but we haven’t felt the effects of the El Niño. In some areas pero sa ngayon hindi pa talaga ‘yan,” Marcos said. “We have a plan. So we are making sure that we will be ready when that time comes.”

Solar-powered water supply

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said it was necessary to take proactive measures to address the potential adverse effects of the weather phenomenon

"Given the predictions from PAGASA, it is crucial that we take proactive measures to address the potential adverse effects of El Niño on our agricultural communities," said Co, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

For instance, Co said, solar-powered water supply systems could help ensure reliable access to clean water, especially in far-flung and upland communities.

"The proposed solar-powered irrigation facility, coupled with an advanced fertigation system, holds great promise in ensuring an uninterrupted and environmentally friendly water supply for our farmers," Co said.

"By promoting responsible water management practices, adopting innovative technologies, and empowering communities, we can enhance our resilience and minimize the impact of El Niño on our farmers and their livelihoods,” he added. —LDF/NB/KG, GMA Integrated News