President distributes aid to El Niño-hit areas in Mindanao
LOCAL governments in the southern region of Mindanao received aid packages worth millions after they were hit by the El Niño weather pattern.
The city government of Iligan got P10.5 million, while the provincial governments of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental received P13.9 million and P24.3 million, respectively, from the national government, according to a press release from the presidential palace.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. chose to personally distribute the assistance to see the conditions of the fisherfolk and farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon, according to his office.
“Aside from the financial assistance from the Office of the President, the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided P10,000 in financial assistance to 9,588 beneficiaries in Iligan City,” it added.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recently said the country could shift to La Niña weather conditions by July, but the onset of the rainy season may begin as early as May.
Still, the delayed onset of the rainy season is possible, PAGASA said in a report to the President.
The Department of National Defense (DND) has already ordered the El Niño task force to mobilize agencies to prepare ahead of the La Niña phenomenon.
La Niña’s agricultural damage, according to the DA, is expected to be way higher than the damage caused by the dry spell.
The Agriculture department said on May 2 El Niño’s damage to agriculture had swelled to P5.90 billion, affecting 113,585 farmers and fishers.
It said La Niña’s agricultural damage would likely be way higher than the damage caused by El Niño. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza