OCD: National El Niño team to convene on July 19 for drought, dry spell preps

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday said it will convene the National El Niño Team in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on July 19 as it synchronizes the preparations for drought and dry spell.

“We are looking forward to the finalization of the National Action Plan for El Niño by this team as we continue to undertake various activities specific to our agency mandates to ensure that the effects of El Niño-induced dry spells and drought to the country can be countered,” OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.

The meeting, which will cover the ongoing activities of various government agencies to address the expected effects of El Niño, will be presided over by Nepomuceno.

Various team clusters are expected to present short-, medium-, and longterm plans in addressing food security, water security, energy security, health, and public safety issues due to the El Niño effects.

State weather bureau PAGASA is set to provide during the meeting an updated forecast of the climate phenomenon as well as the status of the various dams in the country.

On July 4, PAGASA declared the start of the El Niño phenomenon in the Tropical Pacific. Its effects, the state weather bureau said, are now expected in the Philippines.

The El Niño phenomenon is characterized by the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and below normal rainfall.

Due to the El Niño, PAGASA said that as of June 30, dry spells were already experienced in Apayao, Cagayan, and Kalinga based on the provinces’ three-month actual rainfall.

Dry spell is three consecutive months of 21% to 60% reduction in average rainfall condition or two consecutive months of over 60% reduction.

PAGASA said dry conditions were experienced in Isabela and Tarlac provinces.

Dry condition means two consecutive months of 21% to 60% reduction in average rainfall condition.

Disaster preparedness 

In a statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda underscored the need for disaster preparedness in observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month and in anticipation of the effects of the El Nino phenomenon.

“The Philippines is constantly hit by endless natural disasters every year, so we must be able to face any possible danger head-on,” she said.

“Since we have identified most of the causes of damage to property and lives, the state and the citizens must work together to mitigate them by preparing ourselves, starting with simple things such as waste segregation and heeding disaster warnings,” she added.

Legarda also said the government must ensure that the Filipino people are capable of fending off disasters themselves by empowering them.

As part of the government's preparation for the El Nino phenomenon, Legarda called on the local government units to seriously consider ways to conserve water supply.

“We cannot expose ourselves to the risk of seeing it dry up completely — it will be catastrophic,” Legarda warned. — Joviland Rita and Hana Bordey/KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News