President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned crop production will bear the brunt of the El Niño phenomenon that may last until the first half of 2024 as the National Water Resources Board said water and power supply could also be affected, especially in Luzon where the Angat Dam water reserve is nearing critical level.
“The problem with the water, I think, is solvable when it comes to livestock. But we will have difficulty when it comes to crops,” Mr. Marcos said in a chance interview during the sidelines of the Livestock Philippines Expo 2023 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday said the El Niño phenomenon is now present in the Tropical Pacific, adding that the government must prepare for the expected dry spell “as early as we can.”
The state weather bureau earlier warned some 36 provinces may experience a dry spell while at least two provinces may suffer from drought.
On Tuesday, the United Nations warned the world to prepare for the effects of El Nino, saying the weather phenomenon which triggers higher global temperatures is set to persist throughout 2023.
El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern typically associated with increased heat worldwide, as well as drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.
The phenomenon occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes typically last nine to 12 months.
National Water Resources Board executive director Sevillo David Jr. said water levels in all major dams have been going down, with Angat Dam’s reserve nearing the 180 critical level.
“If the Angat Dam water level continues to go down, it could breach the minimum operating level of 180 meters. We are now at 181.22 or about a meter away from critical level,” David said in a separate press briefing at the Palace.
“If the water level falls below 180 meters, we will prioritize the water supply of Metro Manila compared to other users that depend on Angat, including irrigation and the power sector. Angat Dam is currently contributing to power generation going to the Luzon grid,” he added.
As this developed, President Marcos on Wednesday announced the completion of the initial phase of the safety and efficacy trials for the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine which the Bureau of Animal Industry has found to produce sufficient antibodies and safe for use.
He said this development would allow the Philippine Food and Drug Administration to issue a certificate of product registration for the vaccines while the second phase of the trials are underway.
“This gives us great hope as we have been waiting for this for a very long time. However, it is not a reason for complacency as we are being continuously warned by those who have studied the vaccine. The vaccine is 80 percent effective. There is still a 20 percent-chance that we need to look out for very carefully,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President said the government is also making progress in the procurement of avian influenza vaccines.
“If we continue to be able to fix the systems, and now of course the biggest issues are ASF and avian influenza – if we can control these, we expect stable supply [despite the El Niño phenomenon] and stable prices,” he added.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organization declared El Nino was already underway and said there was a 90-percent chance that it would continue during the second half of 2023.
“The onset of El Nino will greatly increase the likelihood of breaking temperature records and triggering more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the ocean,” warned WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas.
“The declaration of an El Nino by WMO is the signal to governments around the world to mobilize preparations to limit the impacts on our health, our ecosystems, and our economies,” said Taalas.
“Early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associated with this major climate phenomenon are vital to saving lives and livelihoods.”
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which feeds into the WMO, announced on June 8 that El Nino had arrived.
“It is expected to be at least of moderate strength,” the WMO said.
It noted that El Nino’s warming effect on global temperatures is usually felt most strongly within a year of its onset — in this case in 2024. With AFP