Bong Go pushes heat safety measures ahead of possible Super El Niño

Sen. Bong Go called for stronger heat-health protocols, workplace safety measures, and crop insurance protection as the country prepares for a possible Super El Niño that could worsen droughts, trigger water shortages, and disrupt agriculture and public health.

Go urged the Department of Health to establish clear national guidelines for heatstroke prevention, heat-related illness response, and water-borne disease management, while also calling on the Department of Labor and Employment and private firms to strengthen protections for workers exposed to extreme heat, particularly construction workers, delivery riders, and farmers.

“Kapag matindi ang init, kalusugan at kabuhayan ng tao ang unang tinatamaan. Dapat malinaw ang protocol, mabilis ang aksyon, at handa ang ating mga ospital at health workers,” Go said.

The senator’s call followed warnings from PAGASA that moderate to strong El Niño conditions could develop later this year, potentially bringing below-normal rainfall in some regions and stronger storms in others. PAGASA also reported declining water levels in major dams across Luzon and critical irrigation concerns in Western Visayas.

Go also renewed his push for Senate Bill No. 673, which seeks free crop insurance coverage for smallholder farmers cultivating five hectares of land or less to help shield them from losses caused by extreme weather conditions.