Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama of Task Force El Niño revealed that over a hundred local government units (LGUs) have declared a state of calamity due to the impacts of El Niño. Villarama shared the update during a press briefing at Malacañan Palace.
According to Villarama, a total of 131 cities and municipalities across the Philippines have issued the declaration, spanning various regions. Among these, seven entire provinces are included: Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and the recently added South Cotabato.
The cost of damage to agriculture has soared to P4.39 billion, affecting 77,731 hectares of land. Villarama noted that 77 percent of this area is deemed recoverable, implying that a portion of the land can still yield crops for consumption or sale.
In response to severe drought conditions, Task Force El Niño is contemplating cloud seeding initiatives. However, Villarama emphasized that cloud seeding is not the primary intervention due to the logistical challenges and specific weather conditions required for its effectiveness.
As the Philippines braces for hotter temperatures in May, PAGASA forecasts even higher temperatures in the first half of the month. Although the El Niño phenomenon is weakening, areas experiencing high heat index levels may reduce in the coming weeks.
Analiza Solis, Chief of PAGASA’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, cautioned that despite the decline in high heat index areas, Metro Manila is expected to endure hot weather. Solis attributed this to the urban heat island effect, where urban areas with limited natural ecosystems and vegetation emit more heat, contributing to elevated temperatures.
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good day maam/sir… hingi po sana ako ng copy ng DLL sa food and beverage services home economics-tle sa JHS AT SHS po…salamat po