Iloilo readies PHP 82 million fund for strong El Niño

ILOILO CITY — The Iloilo provincial government is intensifying preparations for a strong El Niño expected to bring prolonged dry conditions to Western Visayas through the first quarter of 2027, organizing response and mitigation measures across the food, water, energy, health, and public safety sectors.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Cornelio Salinas said the province is ready to tap its PHP 82 million Quick Response Fund (QRF) if conditions worsen and a state of calamity is declared.

He clarified, however, that the QRF is not exclusively for El Niño response, as other provincial offices under the Task Force El Niño have their own funds for mitigation and disaster response, aside from trust funds and budgets available to the different sectors.

“The provincial government, with the guidance of the governor and via the task force, is now prepared,” Salinas said.

The preparations were strengthened during a PDRRMO meeting on Oct. 6, where Salinas outlined the structure and responsibilities of the Task Force El Niño, created under Executive Order No. 67, Series of 2026, issued by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.

The provincial task force is working on measures for the final quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, when dry conditions could develop into drought.

The multi-sectoral task force has been ordered to prepare day-to-day and weekly response measures.

The task force was formed to develop programs, projects, and activities covering five security sectors: food security, water security, energy security, health security, and public safety.

The Iloilo provincial government previously created a similar Provincial El Niño Task Force with the same sectors in 2024.

The Office of the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator is coordinating the sector plans for integration into the province’s broader Provincial Action Plan for El Niño.

The Food Security Sector is developing measures to maintain food supplies, reduce crop losses, and protect the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.

Salinas said the food security sector would have to prepare assistance for farmers if agricultural production is affected by the dry conditions.

He said the food security component would cover livestock, aquaculture, farmlands, sugarcane, rice, and other cash crops as the province prepares for the next nine months.

The Water Security Sector is preparing to maintain adequate supplies for households, healthcare facilities, and agricultural areas as rainfall declines.

The task force is also preparing for possible water rationing, particularly based on the province’s experience in 2024, when fire trucks were used to help provide water but were not equipped or funded for sustained water-rationing operations.

Salinas said the provincial government was looking at a support system that would allow uniformed agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection to assist during water shortages without compromising their primary firefighting functions.

The provincial response cluster is also considering additional medicines for hospitals, water-treatment measures, chlorination, checking available water sources, and acquiring a water-filtration treatment vehicle that could convert collected water into potable water.

The Energy Security Sector is working to mitigate potential power disruptions and protect utilities.

The Health Security Sector is strengthening healthcare services against possible disease outbreaks and heat-related illnesses.

The health sector is also being asked to prepare hospital response protocols for December and the succeeding months as the province moves from dry conditions to a possible drought.

The Public Safety Sector is preparing measures to minimize drought-related incidents and maintain peace and order.

Salinas said sector-specific responses would be led by the appropriate provincial offices, with water security handled by the water security sector, food security concerns led by agriculture authorities, and health preparedness led by the Provincial Health Office.

He also cited the need for continued monitoring of conditions before a state-of-calamity declaration, noting that different sectors have varying levels of exposure and affected populations.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has said the current strong El Niño is expected to intensify into a very strong event by the end of 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027, increasing the likelihood of below-normal rainfall and drought in affected areas.

Western Visayas may experience below-normal rainfall in October and November, followed by way-below-normal rainfall from December through March, according to PAGASA.

Officials warned that the conditions could affect agriculture, water availability, and other essential services.

They also emphasized that El Niño does not mean the complete absence of rain, but rather longer and more frequent dry periods that could put additional pressure on water resources.

In 2024, El Niño left 444 barangays across 16 Iloilo towns facing water scarcity, affecting 265,901 residents, according to Daily Guardian reports.

The provincial board declared the province under a state of calamity during its May 14, 2024, session.

The provincial board also approved a PHP 61 million quick response fund, with an additional PHP 15 million for emergency responses.

Agricultural damage in Iloilo reached PHP 1.025 billion as of April 26, 2024, affecting 23,699 farmers.

Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said the province’s response should go beyond immediate crisis management and establish a long-term framework that can be adapted to future drought events, particularly as climate change increases the likelihood of similar challenges.

“We should not only have a short-term action plan. We need a resilient long-term framework that we can adapt continuously,” he said.

Salinas called for public cooperation in conserving water, following health and safety advisories, and taking precautions during periods of extreme heat.

He said the provincial government will likewise coordinate with national government agencies for additional assistance if provincial resources prove insufficient, as national agencies are also expected to provide support.

“This is a shared responsibility. It’s not just for the government,” Salinas said, urging measures to prevent heat-related illnesses and promote water conservation.