MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered government agencies to prepare for the possible impact of the El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to hit the Philippines in the last quarter of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.

Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said Marcos ordered agencies to create a team solely focused on mitigating the impact of El Niño, which is characterized by above normal temperatures and less rainfall.

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“So through the mechanisms of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, he specifically instructed to form an El Niño team immediately," said Nepomuceno in a Palace briefing.

"So, the concerned government agencies who will handle the response and the mitigation activities will be immediately formed,” he added.

The official said the important aspect in the government's response is "early preparation," just as they understood the possibility that its "worst effect" will be felt by the end of the year.

Aside from this, the President also instructed officials to ensure long-term solutions that will be "protocol-based and scientific."

He also wanted selected government agencies to come up with a campaign to generate public awareness to conserve water and energy, noted the official.

“Inutos niya kanina na dapat magkaroon tayo ng public awareness campaign at immediately lalo na simulan dapat noong mga government agencies, institutions including mga public institutions na mga eskuwelahan or schools na magtipid na talaga ng tubig bago pa lumala iyong problema natin na inaasahan according to PAGASA," he said.

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"Nararamdaman na ngayon iyan pero maaaring mas lumala pa sa last quarter of the year or early next year,” he added.

According to PAGASA Deputy Administrator Esperanza Cayanan, the probability of the occurrence of El Nino is 80 percent for the months of June, July, and August, and 86 percent for the months of November, December and January.

However, Cayanan said the public should expect the country to experience heavy rainfall events before the impact of El Nino, brought about by the Habagat season this June, July, August up to September.

“And from previous experience po natin, puwede po tayong maka-experience ng extreme rainfall event kagaya po ng isang example noong Ondoy noong 2009 wherein nagkaroon po kasi tayo ng El Niño 2009, 2010. Pero bago natin naramdaman iyong kakulangan sa tubig, naka-experience po tayo ng extreme events,” said Cayanan.

The sectoral meeting was attended by the chiefs of the following agencies:

• - Department of National Defense
• - Department of Energy
• - Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• - Department of Science and Technology
• - National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
• - Department of Agriculture
• - Department of Health
• - National Irrigation Administration
• - National Water Resources Board
• - Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems