Malacañang on Wednesday announced that the Marcos administration has intensified inter-agency preparations for El Niño, with the Department of Agriculture (DA) activating a dedicated task force to mitigate the impact of extreme heat and drought on the agricultural sector.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated during a press briefing in Malacañang that frontline government agencies are closely assessing shifting climate patterns to safeguard vulnerable farming communities and maintain national food security.
Castro noted that while El Niño is a recurring natural phenomenon, global climate change has magnified its intensity, aligning with warnings from the World Meteorological Organization regarding exceptional weather volatility.
She reported that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed the DA’s El Niño Task Force has been fully operational, continuously monitoring micro-climatic shifts across the archipelago.
“According to him, iba po kasi ang klima na nararamdaman po natin, mayroong malakas na pagbugso ng ulan, mayroon namang tagtuyot. So, kinakailangan po talaga ng sapat na pagpiprepara,” Castro explained, pointing out that localized weather anomalies have caused localized downpours in parts of Luzon while severe dry spells affect areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.
“Kaya ito po ay minu-monitor, patuloy po na monitoring ng El Niño conditions at ang pagprotekta lalung-lalo na sa ating mga magsasaka at sa ating mga agricultural products na talagang maaapektuhan ng El Niño,” she added.
To secure crop yields, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has implemented adaptive water resource management protocols. NIA is coordinating directly with local farming cooperatives to adjust planting schedules and introduce climate-resilient crop varieties suitable for both sudden heavy rainfalls and extended dry periods.
Beyond immediate agricultural interventions, Castro emphasized that the Marcos administration is embedding long-term, science-based strategies into the national climate framework. Led by the Climate Change Commission, government agencies are aligning water management, disaster risk reduction and agricultural policy to build multi-generational resilience.
“Lahat po ng gagawin natin ay according na rin po sa science para tugma po sa mga hinaharap natin sa ganitong klaseng klima,” Castro said, reiterating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to establish lasting safeguards for future generations against severe climate disruptions.