DA monitoring El Niño effects in Central Luzon, Isabela

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday it is monitoring the effects of the El Niño phenomenon in Central Luzon and the province of Isabela, in which there is high production of crops like rice.

“Meron tayong nakita na ang Region 3 [at] sa Isabela ay makakaranas ng El Niño,” DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said in an Unang Balita interview.

(We have seen that Region 3 and Isabela will experience El Niño.)

Evangelista, however, pointed out that Isabela has long been preparing for such a problem considering that irrigation has always been its concern. She said the National Irrigation Administration is now fast tracking the irrigation in the province.

The DA official said El Niño may also take its toll in the Mimaropa region.

“Other areas naman po, ang sabi nila as of now, binbangga nila ‘yung outlook… base sa nangyayari on the ground para well guided ang ating magsasaka. We also don’t want to totally discourage farmers to stop planting,” she added.

(As for other areas, authorities say they pattern their outlook based on what is happening on the ground so that our farmers are well guided.)

Evangelista said the Agriculture department has put in place several livelihood programs for the farmers who will be affected by El Niño.

On July 4, state weather bureau PAGASA declared the start of the El Niño — a phenomenon characterized by the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and below normal rainfall.

While El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, PAGASA said above-normal rainfall conditions during the Southwest Monsoon season or Habagat season may also be expected in some parts of the country. —KBK, GMA Integrated News