The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has launched an inter-agency coordination effort to help former rebel communities in Mindanao prepare for the possible impact of El Niño, particularly in farming areas vulnerable to drought, food insecurity, and livelihood disruption.
OPAPRU said the initiative seeks to integrate former rebels and their People’s Organizations into government disaster preparedness and climate response systems, shifting them from being mere beneficiaries of assistance to active partners in local resilience planning.
The coordination effort was led by the Local Conflict Transformation-Field Implementation Support Unit in Mindanao under the CPP-NPA-NDF Peace Process Office. A meeting was held on May 19 through Zoom to discuss preparedness measures, coordination mechanisms, and possible interventions for former rebel-led organizations affected by the dry spell.
“As we anticipate the possible effects of the El Niño phenomenon, we must ensure that our field offices in Mindanao, especially in non-BARMM areas, are fully prepared for any eventuality brought about by the upcoming dry spell,” Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said.
Sarmiento said former rebels, their families, and community organizations engaged in agriculture are among those who may be heavily affected by prolonged dry conditions.
“OPAPRU remains committed to strengthening preparedness mechanisms and coordinating closely with our local government units and partners in the regional and provincial levels to cushion the impact of the dry spell, particularly on our former rebels, their families, and their People’s Organizations engaged in farming,” he said.
He warned that climate-related risks could deepen the vulnerability of communities still undergoing reintegration, especially those dependent on farming and community-based livelihood programs.
“Through stronger inter-agency coordination, early preparedness measures, and localized interventions, OPAPRU and its partner agencies can ensure timely assistance, protect livelihoods, and reinforce the government’s peacebuilding and reintegration efforts in conflict-affected areas,” Sarmiento said.
OPAPRU said the initiative also draws lessons from the 2016 Kidapawan crisis, which exposed how drought, food insecurity, and weak coordination could trigger serious social and humanitarian consequences in vulnerable farming communities.
“This incident highlights the need for proactive, transparent, and collaborative government action for marginalized and conflict-affected groups. OPAPRU’s El Niño preparedness initiative aims to bolster early intervention and agency coordination, ensuring former rebel communities and farming organizations receive support before humanitarian or security issues arise,” Sarmiento said.
He said a unified coordination mechanism among national agencies, local governments, Area Management Units, and former rebel-led People’s Organizations is needed to prevent fragmented interventions and avoid duplication of assistance.
“Addressing governance fragmentation and coordination challenges remains critical in ensuring that climate response initiatives are timely, targeted, conflict-sensitive, and responsive to the actual needs of former rebels and their communities,” he added.
The May 19 meeting was attended by Area Management Units from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, regional leaders of former rebel-led federations in Mindanao, members of the Special Project Team, and partner agencies from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and the Department of Agriculture.
Sarmiento said OPAPRU’s Transformation Program remains central to protecting peacebuilding gains by addressing the socioeconomic vulnerabilities of former rebels and their communities, especially as climate risks intensify.
“By integrating disaster readiness, the TP establishes transformation as a sustained development strategy rather than a temporary solution. By embedding former rebels within formal disaster and climate planning and response structures, the TP reduces fragmentation, improves targeting of assistance, and enhances the efficiency of resource utilization across conflict-affected and vulnerable areas,” he said.
OPAPRU said the program aims to transform former rebel communities into active participants in governance, disaster preparedness, and climate response.
“In the face of recurring environmental shocks, its relevance lies in ensuring that peace dividends are protected, governance gaps are minimized, and community resilience is strengthened through inclusive, adaptive, and forward-looking development strategies,” Sarmiento said.
As part of the initiative, OPAPRU’s Mindanao field unit is pushing for the creation of “TINAMPUSO: Task Force El Niño,” named after an Agusan Manobo term referring to a community whose members support one another and act as one.
The proposed task force will integrate Area Management Units into regional and provincial disaster governance structures under the Office of Civil Defense, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, and other existing mechanisms.
Atty. Elisa D. Evangelista, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Executive Director for Local Conflict Transformation, said the framework is meant to ensure unified command, faster coordination, and timely implementation of preparedness measures across Mindanao.
“The initiative is a strategic shift by treating former rebels not merely as beneficiaries of disaster relief, but as active partners in climate resilience. With the inclusion of FR-led People’s Organizations into local disaster and climate response plans, we aim to utilize their organized local networks to bolster food security, water preservation, and emergency preparedness,” Evangelista said.
She said Area Management Units, in coordination with regional former rebel federations, will work with provincial governments through Peace and Development Centers to consolidate and validate data on former rebels and their organizations.
“The consolidation process will be guided by vulnerability maps and climate outlooks issued by PAGASA and the Department of Agriculture, ensuring that interventions are targeted, responsive, and grounded on projections,” Evangelista said.
Evangelista said operational guidelines will also be drafted to standardize coordination protocols, data-sharing mechanisms, and response interventions for former rebel communities affected by El Niño conditions.
She added that the framework will be elevated for adoption by the Joint Regional Task Force or Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict during its third-quarter full council meeting.
“This institutional endorsement is expected to strengthen inter-agency convergence, ensure policy coherence, and enhance the delivery of assistance to FR communities across climate-vulnerable areas,” Evangelista said.
OPAPRU said several areas in Mindanao are expected to face significant climate risks. In Region 9, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga City may experience early drought conditions and severe rainfall deficits.
In Regions 11 and 12, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao del Sur, and Davao de Oro face threats to food and economic security due to their reliance on rice, corn, and high-value crops.
Region 10 also faces risks, with Bukidnon’s highland crops such as coffee and pineapple exposed to shifting temperatures, while Misamis Oriental may experience coastal dry spells.
Caraga, meanwhile, remains vulnerable to both El Niño-related drought and unseasonal flash floods due to shifting cyclone tracks.
PAGASA also projected dry conditions in several parts of Luzon, including Abra, Apayao, Bataan, Benguet, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, and Zambales.