The local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila are now preparing countermeasures for the forthcoming El Niño and a possibility of a water crisis.
In a press conference on Friday, MMDA chair and concurrent head of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Response and Management Council (MMDRRMC) Don Artes said the 17 LGUs have established a task force to develop emergency plans.
“Recommendations will be consolidated and coordinated with the concerned government agencies for possible implementation and replication of efforts in other regions,” he added.
MMDA sa paghahanda sa NCR kaugnay ng El Niño: Lahat ng ahensya ng pamahalaan ay naghahanda para maiwasan ang adverse effect ng El Niño | @dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/7zDOYaW26W
— Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) May 19, 2023
Artes said that they can’t give an exact figure on how ready they are as they still didn’t know the extent of the effect of El Niño. But he assured that preparations will be undertaken to lessen its effect.
To monitor the water supply and manage water use in the National Capital Region (NCR), Artes said the MMDA works in unison with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).
There is a 90% possibility that the El Niño phenomenon would persist through the first quarter of 2024, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The unusual rise in sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean is known as El Niño.
Written By Dana Ebreo, DZRH News Online Intern
