President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the effects of the rainy season as the La Niña phenomenon looms.
In a speech during the distribution of assistance to farmers and fisherfolks affected by El Niño on the Zamboanga Peninsula in Zamboanga City, Marcos said the world is experiencing “extreme weather” brought by climate change, causing extreme heat and later on, extreme rainy season.
“Extreme weather ang nararanasan natin. Matinding init ngayon at sa mga susunod na buwan naman ay asahan natin ang matindi naman na pag-ulan (We are experiencing extreme weather. Now it’s extreme heat, and in the coming months we are anticipating extreme rainy season),” Marcos said.
“Kaya naman po, nananawagan ako sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Zamboanga at sa mga karatig-bayan [nito sa] buong rehiyon: Maging handa po kayo sa lahat ng oras. Alamin natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga nasasakupan at gumawa tayo ng mga programa na tiyak na makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan (That’s why, I am calling on the local government of Zamboanga and its nearby towns, as well as the entire region: Let’s be prepared at all times. Let us attend to the needs of our constituents and devise programs to ensure assistance in times of need),” he added.
La Niña is characterized by cooler sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific which triggers above-average rainfall in the country.
Last March, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration raised a La Niña Watch as the country deals with the effects of El Niño or extreme drought.
The El Niño Task Force has assured that mitigation efforts to cushion the impact of La Niña will be put in place, noting that preparing for the rainy season is among its mandates.
According to the President, some 3.6 million Filipinos have been affected so far by the extreme heat. He added that damage to agriculture has already reached PHP5.9 billion.
Marcos said the national government will assist the affected LGUs as he called the people and sectors to coordinate with the affected local governments to avail of government assistance. (PNA)
