THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Tuesday the rainy season has officially set in.
At a news conference, Anthony Lucero, the bureau’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief, said despite the prevailing El Niño episode, the wet season has already begun.
“The El Niño is expected to end or neutralize in July. That is the time when a La Niña phenomenon will prevail,” he told reporters.
The storm-free months of January until May was just a “clear manifestation” of the El Niño impact, he said.
“We are still feeling its impact,” he added.
“Most areas [in the country] are still receiving below-normal amount of rainfall.”
The La Niña phenomenon will follow in August, and that its full impact will be felt at the end of 2016, he said.
“We will see fewer provinces suffering from drought,” he said.
According to Lucero, the eastern part of the country, such as Isabela, Quirino, Quezon, Bicol, Samar, Leyte, Surigao, Caraga, Agusan province, Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, must brace for major landslides and floods once La Niña dampens more rains and enhances the peak of the rainy condition.
“Remember Guinsaugon [tragedy]. Expect similar situation in those places. There’ll be landslides and floods. Despite such, we can take advantage of the situation to plant crops in the mountains that would need [much] water,” he pointed out.
In 2006, a whole section of a mountain collapsed, covered 300 hectares of a village in Guinsaugon, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte, and buried about 1,500 people due to a rain-induced landslide.
While Metro Manila is experiencing lesser amount of rainfall, heavy downpour continues to dampen several parts of the countryside, said Dr. Esperanza Cayanan, weather division officer in charge.
“We are here to announce the rainy season,” she said.
Dr. Landrico Dalida Jr., deputy administrator for operations, also warned those in the eastern part of the country to expect heavy rainfall that could cause severe floods.