Gov't to implement El Niño Action Plan amid ‘Very Strong’ forecast - OCD

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported Saturday that the government is set to implement its El Niño Action Plan following a meeting among government agencies in response to a projected Very Strong El Niño in late 2026 and the first half of 2027.

“Our different cluster agencies immediately met to implement our El Niño Action Plan, together with our contingency [measures],” OCD spokesperson Vicente Tomas said during the Saturday News Forum.

“This concerns energy, health, agriculture, and especially communities affected by the Very Strong El Niño phenomenon,” added Tomas, who is also director of the OCD’s Disaster Preparedness Service.

Tomas said response cluster agencies are focusing on several sectors, including public health. The Department of Health (DOH) has issued advisories on measures the public should take to avoid prolonged exposure to extreme heat, which could cause dehydration.

“This also includes our livestock and the health of our farmers and fisherfolk. The Department of Agriculture has also promptly provided assistance in the form of resilient seeds and crops,” he said.

The OCD official added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had provided assistance through conditional cash transfers, as well as food and non-food items.

“They also have atmospheric water systems that can be used to produce potable water for our families,” Tomas said.

As of 26 September 2026, El Niño had caused ₱6.87 billion in agricultural damage, affecting 223,214 farmers and fisherfolk.

“Thus, the appropriate government agencies have already implemented interventions,” Tomas said.

He added that the DSWD, OCD, other response cluster agencies and local government units had provided ₱76.4 million worth of assistance, particularly to affected regions, including Region 2, Region 5, Caraga and Calabarzon, as well as other areas monitored by the OCD’s regional offices nationwide.

Public urged to remain calm, prepare

The OCD urged the public to remain calm and take precautionary measures against the anticipated effects of a Very Strong El Niño.

“As one of the most important things we need to understand, we can face the effects of El Niño. We should not be afraid. We should remain calm,” Tomas said.

He said response cluster agencies under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), including the DOH, Department of Energy (DOE) and DSWD, were encouraging the public to conserve, recycle and store water.

“Experts have already said that we can face the effects of El Niño. We must work together to ensure our preparedness,” he said.

Tomas also urged Filipinos to share accurate information and data to prevent misinterpretations and misconceptions about the effects of the Very Strong El Niño phenomenon.

“If we do not prepare, El Niño will have adverse effects on health, livelihoods, agriculture, energy and other critical resources that we need in this world,” Tomas warned.

Water shortages among indicators for calamity declaration

Water shortages, declining water levels in river basins and drying soil are among the indicators being monitored when determining whether a province should declare a state of calamity due to El Niño.

Tomas said early announcements from science-based agencies had allowed the government to preposition interventions in anticipation of the phenomenon.

“Because of the early announcements from our science-based agencies, interventions were promptly prepositioned. This is also part of the agencies’ National Strategic Action Plan and El Niño Action Plan, which involve all government agencies, with assistance from local governments,” he said.

The OCD spokesperson said the government had also inventoried available response resources, including water tankers, desalination systems, cloud-seeding equipment and filtration units and devices distributed to local government units.

These resources have been provided particularly to areas in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region 4A (Calabarzon), Region 5 (Bicol), Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) and Caraga.

“According to reports submitted by local governments through the different regional offices, some areas have already experienced drying soil and some restrictions in water distribution,” Tomas said.

“However, the situation remains manageable because of the early response of communities, local government units, non-government organizations and the private sector.”