Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has directed government departments, particularly those handling agriculture, food security, and water supply, to accelerate public spending in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Recto also ordered early procurement to boost national preparedness for the possible impacts of the Super El Niño, following a meeting with department heads on Thursday at Malacañang.
PAGASA climate monitoring chief Ana Liza Solis said a “very strong” El Niño will peak between September and December 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027, while the World Meteorological Organization warned it could rank among the strongest since 1950.
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said PAGASA considers two-month dry conditions and three-month dry spells as severe, prolonged drought. He said all 82 provinces may experience drought by March 2027.
Solidum said the end of the southwest monsoon last week revealed early effects of El Niño, causing rainfall deficits in 45 provinces including Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay and Camarines Sur.
Recto has also decided to focus on certain sectors for early procurement and for spending in the fourth quarter, these including agricultural technology, with an emphasis on providing solar-powered seed cold storage, irrigation systems and financial assistance for healthcare, education, transport, employment support, and aid for farmers and fisherfolk.
The government has restored 59 deep wells and deployed 240 water tankers, including 135 stationary and 105 mobile units. Water treatment facilities in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and San Mateo have also expanded capacity to maintain supply for households and farms.
“El Niño will not affect every area in the same way. The risks and needs of one community may be different from those of another,” said Recto, ordering local government units (LGUs) to implement localized risk assessments.
In a radio interview with DWIZ, Senator Francis Pangilinan urged government agencies to strengthen information dissemination in communities while directing the Senate Agriculture Committee, which he chairs, under Senate Resolution No. 515 to evaluate whether agency budgets and contingency plans are prepared for the phenomenon.
Senator Bam Aquino requested Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian to reconvene the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee, originally created in March 2026 for Middle East crisis impacts, to align government readiness across livelihood, agriculture, health, education, and essential services ahead of El Niño.
Recto stressed that preparedness is a reason to act early rather than panic, and that synchronized early procurement, local government coordination, and legislative checks will dictate the nation’s resilience against the severe climate phenomenon lasting through mid-2027. Irene O. Obniala/JourKnows PH
