Legarda seeks review of government's El Niño policy

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Loren Legarda has filed a Senate resolution calling for an urgent inquiry into the policies of the government to counter El Niño and ensure food security.

Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on food and agriculture, filed the resolution as the weather bureau has announced that the El Niño phenomenon or prolonged drought has already hit the Philippines and may last for six months until May. 

The Department of Agriculture has also warned that the prolonged drought would drastically cut down the production of local crops, like rice, corn, sugar cane, vegetables and other agricultural products.

Officials say three provinces in the central region have started to feel the effects of the El Nino phenomenon by having below normal rainfall. The provinces of Capiz, Aklan and Guimaras in the central Philippines have had below normal rainfall since August and have already started experiencing drought.

In her resolution, Legarda asked the Senate to direct the Senate committee on agriculture and food and the committee on climate change to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the government’s policies and programs to address the effects of El Niño.