El Niño drains PHP 465.7M from Western Visayas farms

ILOILO CITY — The early effects of El Niño have caused PHP 465.7 million in agricultural damage in Western Visayas, with Capiz and Iloilo bearing the brunt, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 6 (RDRRMC-6) reported.

Raul Fernandez, director of the Office of Civil Defense 6 (OCD-6) and chair of the RDRRMC-6, said on Friday, Nov. 6, that Capiz was the hardest-hit province so far.

As of Oct. 27, the damage mostly involved rice and corn crops.

Capiz recorded the highest losses at PHP 307 million, followed by Iloilo at PHP 155 million.

The dry conditions have affected 4,559 families, or 22,795 individuals, in 47 barangays.

The number of affected farmers and fisherfolk reached 7,760.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared on June 9 that El Niño conditions were present in the tropical Pacific, after sea surface temperatures in May rose 0.5 degrees Celsius above normal. The state weather bureau said the phenomenon may persist until early 2027.

During the 2023–2024 El Niño episode, agricultural losses in Western Visayas reached about PHP 1.49 billion, based on OCD figures at the time.

Irrigation systems

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported that most river irrigation systems and dams in the region remain at normal operating levels.

However, the Aklan River Irrigation System East and West continue to operate at critically low levels after sustaining damage from a tropical cyclone earlier this year.

Rehabilitating the system is estimated to cost PHP 300 million, and OCD-6 is exploring possible funding assistance.

Drought outlook

PAGASA has projected worsening dry conditions across the region.

Capiz is expected to experience drought beginning in November, while Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, and Iloilo may experience dry spells.

Guimaras is also projected to experience drought by December, with drought conditions forecast across Western Visayas during the first quarter of 2027.

PAGASA defines a dry spell as three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall, or two consecutive months of way-below-normal rainfall. A drought is three consecutive months of way-below-normal rainfall, or five consecutive months of below-normal rainfall.

Fernandez said the interventions being implemented include cloud seeding by the Department of Agriculture, which may have contributed to the recent rainfall in the region.

“We ask the concerned agencies for updated data every week. On November 20, we will hold another meeting with the El Niño Task Force to discuss the gaps and resources needed to address the needs of the affected population,” he said.

So far, only the municipality of Dueñas in Iloilo has declared a state of calamity due to drought, compounded by a red-striped soft scale insect infestation on sugarcane plantations.

Extremes on both ends

Fernandez stressed that El Niño changes weather patterns and does not simply mean “no rain.”

He said El Niño can bring drought to one area or period and destructive typhoons or floods to another.

PAGASA has also warned that heavy rainfall may still occur during El Niño.

“El Niño has extreme effects. We may experience excessive rainfall in one area, while another area receives rainfall far below normal levels,” Fernandez said.

Saving water at home

At the household level, Fernandez urged families to conserve water by repairing leaking water lines and reusing water whenever possible.

“We really need to save water. We need to reuse it and avoid wasting it,” he said.

He suggested that households reduce water consumption for activities such as car washing and showering.

No consolidated budget yet

Fernandez said there is no final consolidated budget for El Niño response measures, because funding is allocated by sector and may change as requirements evolve.

The response covers five key sectors: food security, water security, health security, energy security, and public safety.

He said government agencies would use their existing committed funds and available allocations to address the effects of El Niño.