Bohol reconstitutes El Niño TF

with 9 working committees

TAGBILARAN CITY Bohol (PIA) –Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado has ordered the activation of the reconstituted Provincial El Niño Task Force, with a clearly defined 9 working committees to map out specific interventions for focused functional concerns on community resilience.

In Executive Order No. 20-A, the governor has pushed the green button for the activation of the task force mandated to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plans for El Niño and La Niña.

Such is to provide systematic, holistic and results-driven intervention to help the public cope with the impending threats and mitigate its effects.

And when the National Action Plan Framework created to increase community resilience against the ill-effects of the prolonged droughts focused on five key sectors, Bohol authorities opted to put up 9 focused sectoral response working teams; each planning for consolidated, all expansive short and long interventions in areas which would be severely impacted by the stretched dry season.

For this, Aumentado’s Executive Order puts up working committees on agriculture, natural resources and water management, early warning system and information campaign, energy and power, public works, consumer protection, social services, health and rescue and relief, which is more extensive than the national action plan framework.

The National Action Plan Framework has five sectors namely: water supply, agriculture, electricity, health and public safety.

Issued in response to mitigating the supposedly pervasive effects of the drought associated with the warming of 1.5 degrees of the eastern Pacific waters, which according to state weather bureau reports based on climate models, could in an indication of a very strong El Niño which can last until the first quarter of 2027.

Last April 22, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) has elevated the El Niño Watch to El Niño alert, with 79 percent forecast probability that the drought could start by June.

Climate monitors have noted a sea temperature rise of 0.5 percent above the normal temperature in the eastern Pacific.

According to the weather models which PAG-ASA is looking, the sea temperature rise between October to January 2027 may even go more or less 1.5 degrees higher than normal, reiterates weather forecaster Engr. Leonadro Samar.

“This may have possible adverse effects to agriculture, water resources, marine resources, human health and environment, the reason why a prompt, coordinated and sustained action from all concerned is warranted,” Gov. Aumentado said.

El Niño phenomenon, which is typically follows an irregular recurring climate pattern of two to seven years, observed in the Tropical Pacific Ocean, affects weather around the world, including the Philippines.

As the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become warmer than normal, this weakens the trade winds and changes rainfall and atmospheric circulation patterns all over the globe.

With long dry season usually brought by the El Niño, the governor believes this necessitates implementation of short and long term interventions to ensure food, water and energy security, while pushing for the need to safeguard livelihoods and strengthen the country’s overall disaster and climate resilience, especially with the continuing crisis in the Middle East. (PIABohol)