MANILA, Philippines — Crossing political divides, 20 senators on Monday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a state of calamity in areas affected or threatened by El Niño, calling for the immediate mobilization of government funds to address mounting agricultural losses and gaps in assistance to affected communities.
The senators pressed for urgent government intervention to protect farmers and fisherfolk, as worsening drought conditions threaten rural livelihoods, food production, and the country's water security.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, JV Ejercito, Lito Lapid, Joel Villanueva, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Bong Go, Camille Villar, and Mark Villar signed Proposed Senate Resolution (PSR) 765.
“It is currently the planting season in our rice fields, and water is essential. We also need to implement remedial measures, such as imposing price ceilings and cracking down on overpricing, profiteering, and hoarding,” Pangilinan said.
Under Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, a declaration of a state of calamity allows the government to implement remedial measures, including the programming or reprogramming of funds for the repair and upgrading of public infrastructure and facilities, as well as the granting of no-interest loans to the most affected sectors, subject to applicable laws.
PSR 765 urges the President, upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, to declare a state of calamity or a state of imminent disaster, as warranted under Republic Act 10121 and Republic Act 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act.
The resolution cited a report from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration indicating that a strong to very strong El Niño was present in the Tropical Pacific, with the phenomenon potentially peaking before the end of 2026 and continuing to affect the Philippines through the first half of 2027.
It also highlighted the scale of agricultural damage, citing approximately P6.87 billion in losses across 249,028 hectares as of Sept. 26, 2026. This figure is already equivalent to 43 percent of the agricultural losses recorded during the entire 2023–2024 El Niño episode.
As of Oct. 6, 106 cities and municipalities in Cagayan Valley, Caraga, Bicol, Calabarzon, and Soccsksargen had declared local states of calamity, affecting approximately 388,375 people, according to figures cited in the resolution.
