SPEAKER Faustino Dy III urged the government on Wednesday to craft a unified national preparedness framework a gainst the looming effects of El Niño.
He said government agencies should shift from reactive disaster response to proactive planning.
Dy added that the country had already experienced the severe impact of prolonged drought on agriculture, food security and the economy, noting that palay (unmilled rice) production fell by 12 percent to 15 percent from 2023 to 2024, contributing to higher rice prices and affecting millions of Filipinos.
”This is timely, as we have already experienced the severe impact of El Niño on crop production, food security and our economy,” Dy said in Filipino during the House Committee on Agriculture and Food’s briefing on El Niño preparedness.
The briefing, he noted, aims to develop an effective and implementable national preparedness framework that national agencies and local government units can adopt before drought conditions intensify.
Drawing from Isabela’s experience, the lawmaker said the province immediately coordinated with the Department of Agriculture Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), the provincial government, National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System, local chief executives, agriculture officers and other agencies to implement early interventions, including close monitoring of Magat Dam’s water levels and advance planning of irrigation water releases.
He said Isabela prioritized assistance to farmers and fisherfolk, including fuel subsidies, while investing in irrigation systems, water-efficient technologies, community-based water management, climate-resilient agriculture, and additional water-harvesting and multipurpose dam projects. Dy said that the province’s experience demonstrated how early coordination could lessen the impact of prolonged drought on communities and the country’s food supply.
”It is important for us to be prepared and not wait for a crisis to strike before taking action, for the sake of the peace of mind of every farmer and every Filipino,” Dy said.
Dy noted that protecting food-producing provinces requires more than emergency assistance, stressing the need for long-term investments that will enable farmers and irrigation systems to withstand increasingly frequent climate-related disruptions.
”We must also have long-term solutions when it comes to El Niño. Our response should include long-term solutions on top of our immediate response efforts,” Dy said.
”It is clear that we need to invest in stronger irrigation systems, water-efficient technologies, community-based water management and climate-resilient agriculture,” he added.
Dy said that ensuring the resilience of agricultural provinces is key to maintaining the nation’s food supply.
”Every grain of rice and every last fish is the fruit of the sweat and sacrifice of our farmers and fisherfolk. Thus, with every step we take to protect them, we also safeguard the food on our tables, the economy and the future of every Filipino family,” he added.
