What are the government’s Super El Niño measures?

• A very strong Super El Niño is affecting the Philippines, leading to below-normal rainfall and drought, prompting government agencies to prepare for its impacts.
• The government has allocated P7.7 billion for El Niño response, focusing on irrigation, food security, and health measures, including the introduction of new technologies for water and food production.
• Guidelines for schools have been issued to manage class schedules based on heat index readings, and cloud seeding efforts have begun to enhance rainfall in drought-affected areas.

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A “very strong” Super El Niño is underway, and government agencies and the public should be on the lookout, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned.

According to the weather agency, several parts of the country will experience below-normal rainfall and drought starting this November.

Ahead of PAGASA’s announcement, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed concerned government agencies to take necessary measures to prepare for the impacts of the weather phenomenon. Task Force El Niño also said the country has allocated P7.7 billion for its El Niño response.

So what measures has the Marcos administration put in place against Super El Niño?

Irrigation, water management

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has established water impounding structures and rainwater harvesting systems to boost water supply and prepare for potential forest and grass fires, which have a higher probability during El Niño. 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is also helping with community-based interventions by rehabilitating water sources, such as reservoirs, multipurpose water infrastructure, and water harvesting facilities, through Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access).

For its part, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is assessing irrigation systems and helping farmers adjust planting schedules based on local weather and water conditions.

The National Irrigation Administration will strengthen and rehabilitate some of its solar-powered pumps. NIA will also deploy mobile solar pumps in drought-prone, water-stressed areas and vulnerable farming communities to provide immediate irrigation support.

It will also remove sand and debris from irrigation canals to improve water flow. The NIA will also utilize groundwater maps from the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau to identify water sources for solar-powered pump irrigation systems.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) also has Project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines), which will provide localized crop advisories.

Food security, potable water

The DA will provide high-quality and drought-tolerant seeds, fertilizer, farm mechanization, irrigation support, and water-saving technologies. It has also entered into a rice supply agreement with Vietnam. This allows Vietnam to deliver 1.5 million metric tons of DT8 rice to the Philippines through April 2027 at a fixed price of $450 per metric ton.

The DSWD’s flagship initiative, BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), will promote food production through household and community vegetable gardens and the adoption of appropriate agricultural practices.

Last September 28, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian also introduced the very first Atmospheric Water Generator system. This technology extracts moisture from humid air and converts it into potable drinking water. It is currently being implemented in Barangay Gilotongan, Cawayan, Masbate, to address the water shortage there.

Gatchalian also introduced the portable water filtration kits to the public at a Malacañang press briefing on October 14. This kit can be attached to any water bucket. He said the Food and Drug Administration has certified the safety of the filtration system, saying that the water it produces meets Philippine drinking water standards for the analyzed parameters.

Energy supply

With electricity demand surging, the Department of Energy (DOE) has standby generator sets and is looking into battery systems, ship-integrated power plants, and diesel power plants as alternatives, especially for the already vulnerable Visayas grid.

The DOE is also expecting over 2,700-megawatt projects across the country to be completed this year. These are solar, wind, and hydroelectric power plants. An additional 4,758 projects are expected to be completed in 2027, boosting power generation.

Health

The Department of Health (DOH) is ramping up its education campaign and preparing for the potential influx of El Niño-related patients in government-run hospitals. It has temporarily assigned hospital personnel from other departments to treat patients with heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The DOH also has a surge plan that allows hospitals to deploy additional staff and monitor other heat-triggered illnesses.

Though not yet concrete, the health department plans to have dedicated fast lanes in hospital emergency rooms for patients with heat-related illnesses, and increase emergency room consultations.

Guidelines for class suspension

The Department of Education (DepEd) issued guidelines on October 26 to help schools prepare for the weather phenomenon.

School heads will also account for localized decision-making tools based on daily indoor classroom temperature and humidity readings taken in the morning, noon, and afternoon. The guidelines will be integrated into the four-level framework: Hayo, Hinay, Hinga, Hinto.

• Hayo (go ahead) – schools will maintain face-to-face classes if the heat index remains below 27°C
• Hinay (be careful) – in-person classes may be shortened or shift to a hybrid, home-based setup if the heat index falls between 27°C and 32°C
• Hinga (rest) – physical classes are suspended, and learners will have lighter home-based tasks if the heat index reaches this extreme caution stage between 33°C and 41°C
• Hinto (stop) – all physical and home-based activities are suspended if the heat index reaches 42°C and above

However, this must be vetted by the schools division office or the local government unit to avoid the abuse of class suspensions.

Cloud seeding

In the Visayas, cloud seeding has started. This technique enhances the chances of light and moderate rainfall by introducing sodium chloride into cloud moisture. As of October 22, the Philippine Air Force has completed 38 cloud seeding activities. P30 million was also allocated to aid sugar farms, where operations will begin this November. 

The DA has also requested an additional P270 million to enhance rainfall and assist in crop production.

Food, cash aid

Through DSWD’s Project LAWA and BINHI, the department will provide temporary employment to low-income families, farmers, fisherfolk, and disaster-affected households. Beneficiaries will receive cash aid while working for the two flagship initiatives in their communities.

The DSWD also said it has family food packs on standby, with measures in place to prevent spoilage.

The DA already has funds intended to assist farmers and fisherfolk. Palace press officer Claire Castro said the Department of Budget Management is coordinating with Malacañang to determine whether additional funding for the government’s El Niño response will be needed. – Rappler.com