Mindanao is El Niño’s first stop – Villar

As if the problem of peace and order and underdevelopment in some parts of Mindanao were not enough, the full impact of the El Niño phenomenon on the Philippines may be first felt in the region, Senate Pro Tempore Manny Villar said yesterday.

"Several areas in the Mindanao region may be among the first areas in the country to experience a dry spell resulting from El Niño," said Villar. Among the areas that may be initially hit in July of this year are Agusan del Norte and Sur, the southern tip of Zamboanga del Norte and Sur, North Cotabato provinces, South Cotabato and Sarangani, according to the Bureau of Soils and Water Management of the Department of Agriculture.

Other areas in the country that may feel the early effects of a dry spell in the country are Cagayan Valley the Northern Portion of Isabela, Southern tip of Quezon, Masbate, Leyte, Cebu and Bicol.

"The reduction of rainfall in these areas in July may hamper crop production that is why measures to address a water shortage must be in place as soon as possible, said Villar, who is pushing for the immediate release of funds to counter the effects of a dry spell brought about by El Niño.

Villar said that the construction of shallow tube wells and rehabilitation of irrigation facilities in the areas that will feel the initial effects of El Niño must be completed soon.

"Assistance from government at this crucial stage is very critical," said Villar, who chairs the Senate committee on food and agriculture, as he lamented the apparent delay in the release of El Niño funds.

The global weather phenomenon is predicted to lead to a five to 20-percent reduction in the country’s rainfall. If contingency measures are not in place, Villar said it may have adverse effects on the country’s agriculture.

A national task force on El Niño has placed at P832.53 million the cost for the country to be fully prepared for El Niño.