SEN. Erwin Tulfo on Sunday urged the government to set aside funds and implement an early response plan for a looming super El Niño, with agricultural losses already reaching P6.87 billion.
Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, cited Department of Agriculture (DA) data showing P6.87 billion in agricultural losses affecting 223,214 farmers as of Sept. 26.
He said the government should act on existing forecasts and warnings instead of waiting for severe dry spells, rising food prices and declining livelihoods to worsen.
“Let us not wait for our fields to turn to ash, our taps to run dry, and our people to collapse from the heat before we scramble for solutions,” Tulfo said in a statement.
“We have the science. We have the warnings. It is time to stop managing disasters after they happen, and start executing a decisive, proactive survival strategy,” he said.
Tulfo said a prolonged and severe El Niño could affect not only agricultural production but also water availability, food supply and household expenses, making early government intervention urgent.
He acknowledged that the administration already has an El Niño Task Force but said its scope should go beyond protecting farmers and addressing irrigation needs.
“A task force must be more than a coordinating body. It must have a clear plan, clear responsibilities, and, most importantly, the resources to act before the crisis paralyzes our communities,” he said.
He said government agencies should identify vulnerable areas, prepare assistance for affected farmers and communities, and ensure that resources are available before the effects of prolonged dry conditions intensify.
Tulfo’s concern was referred to the Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) Ad Hoc Committee.
The special panel was created to address the country’s economic slowdown, rising living costs and weakening purchasing power.
Tulfo’s call comes as other senators urged the government to prepare for the potential effects of a severe El Niño.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan called for strengthening irrigation and agricultural support amid forecasts of a super El Niño, while Sen. Jinggoy Estrada called for measures to prepare for an extended dry spell that could last until 2027.
Tulfo said his call was not intended to spread fear but to ensure that the government has a dependable roadmap to prepare Filipinos for the potential impact of a severe El Niño.
