The government is urging the public to conserve water as the country faces a high likelihood of another El Niño episode later this year.
According to the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), there is a 92 percent probability that El Niño conditions will develop between June and August and could persist into early 2027.
“By September, October and November 2026, it may become strong,” DoST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said in a radio interview. “ And by October and November, ocean temperatures could rise further and reach a very strong category, which has a 30 percent chance of occurring.”
He noted that a stronger El Niño does not automatically translate to severe impacts, but it increases the likelihood of drought, water shortages and extreme heat.
Solidum said water conservation remains one of the most practical and low-cost measures to extend water supplies and lessen the effects of prolonged dry conditions.
He also cited efforts by the Department of Agriculture to promote hybrid rice varieties and water-saving farming methods such as Alternate Wetting and Drying, as well as Quick Turn Around planting, which allows farmers to replant immediately after harvest.
The government has reactivated El Niño task forces under Executive Order 53 to coordinate measures aimed at reducing the impact of dry weather on communities and agriculture.
