THE Philippines has now reached the strong mature or peak stage of the El Niño Phenomenon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
According to the weather agency, 41 provinces in the Philippines are currently experiencing drought this February, with the possibility of increasing to 80 provinces in the coming months.
The affected provinces include Abra, Apayao, Aurora, Bataan, Benguet, among others.
‘‘Right now, we are in the ‘strong mature’ El Niño, and we are just starting to experience its lag impact. So, the peak impact will be from March to April and May,’’ according to Anna Solis OIC, Climatology and Agrometeorology Division, PAGASA.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is distributing vegetable seeds in Western Visayas and procuring equipment for high-value crops that require less water, such as in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
‘‘The agency is advocating the use of an alternate wetting-and-drying system to save water in rice fields. Additionally, they are exploring the use of solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) to supplement water for crops,’’ according to Asec. Joey Villaram Spokesperson on El Niño, PCO.
Temperature may reach 40°c from April to June in Luzon
PAGASA estimates that temperatures in various parts of Luzon and even in the National Capital Region may reach up to 40 degrees Celsius from April to June.
Given the threat of the El Niño Phenomenon, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) advises the public to be cautious as the extreme heat may pose health risks.
‘‘This is somewhat dangerous because the normal body temperature is only 37 degrees, so being outside in temperatures higher than that is like having a fever,’’ said Edgar Posadas Spokesperson, OCD.
In anticipation of the El Niño Phenomenon, various interventions are in place to ensure an adequate water supply in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Possible actions include cloud seeding and the use of drought-resistant varieties to address water shortages.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) assure that the water level in Angat Dam remains stable, and they may request the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to maintain the 50 cubic meters per second (CMS) water allocation in the coming months.
‘‘That 50 cms is sufficient to meet the requirements or demand for water in our service area, which is comprised of the entire Manila and Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal,’’ according also to Engr. Christian Gonzales Principal Engineer C, Field Operations Management Department, MWSS.
150 million liters of water wasted daily due to leaks from Angat Dam
MWSS admits that millions of liters of water are wasted daily due to system losses.
Pipes from Angat Dam to water concessionaires are deteriorating, causing leaks.
Despite these system losses, the services provided by water concessionaires like Maynilad and Manila Water are not affected.
‘‘Since last year, our augmentation sources have been in place to fill in the water shortages from Angat [dam],’’ Engr. Gonzales added.
The said agencies are urging the public to use water wisely amidst the El Niño Phenomenon.
