President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presides over a meeting of key agencies involved in responding to super El Niño’s impact on agriculture, water, and energy in Malacañang on October 13, 2026. (Courtesy: Presidential Communications Office)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered government agencies to strengthen preparations for a potentially severe El Niño, prioritizing hospital readiness, food and water security, and agricultural production as the weather phenomenon threatens to intensify toward the end of the year.
Marcos convened key agencies on Tuesday to reinforce contingency measures and ensure hospitals, dams and farms are prepared for possible prolonged dry conditions, according to the government.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its advisory last week that a strong to very strong El Niño was present in the tropical Pacific and could persist through the first half of 2027.
The phenomenon increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall, dry spells and drought in parts of the country.
The President’s directives include ensuring hospitals have adequate electricity, medicines and medical supplies, protecting local food production, improving water management and irrigation, and maintaining sufficient energy and fuel supplies.
The National Irrigation Administration is preparing measures to help farmers cope with reduced water availability, including identifying potential groundwater sources for solar-powered irrigation systems and repairing and rehabilitating existing irrigation pumps, Malacañang said in September.
The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, has been strengthening preparations by securing food stocks and agricultural inputs, expanding storage capacity and preparing targeted interventions for areas expected to be most affected by drought.
Mr. Marcos also stressed the need for government agencies to provide accurate, timely and science-based information to help the public prepare for the expected effects of El Niño.
The government has urged Filipinos to conserve water and cooperate with mitigation efforts as agencies coordinate measures to protect food supplies, agricultural livelihoods and essential services.