{"id":19797,"date":"2026-04-26T01:49:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T17:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/?p=19797"},"modified":"2026-04-26T01:49:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T17:49:27","slug":"da-braces-for-strong-el-nino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/da-braces-for-strong-el-nino\/","title":{"rendered":"DA BRACES FOR ‘STRONG’ \u00a0EL NI\u00d1O"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing for a potentially severe El Ni\u00f1o later this year (2026), warning that a prolonged dry spell could hit farm output, push up food prices, and affect economic growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr<\/strong> \u00a0on Friday said he has ordered preparations for the \u201cworst-case scenario\u201d to mitigate the El Ni\u00f1o\u2019s impact on farm production, farmers’ income, and economic activity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is no longer a question whether we will experience another El Ni\u00f1o after the 2024 episode that undermined rice harvest. The only question that needs to be answered is its intensity,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2024, agricultural output declined 2.2 percent, driven by a 4.2 percent contraction in the crops sector, which accounted for 56 percent of total farm production. Rice and corn were among the hardest hit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following significant crop losses in 2024, the Department is activating measures to protect farmers and ensure food security.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The DA has ordered the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program to prepare for worst-case scenarios, with support from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and other units. <\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), there\u2019s a 92 percent probability for a moderate to strong El Ni\u00f1o episode in the Philippines based on the El Ni\u00f1o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) outlook.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ENSO is a recurring climate pattern driven by changes in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure in the Pacific.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When these conditions intensify significantly, they are classified as a “Super El Ni\u00f1o,” resulting in far-reaching and severe impacts on global weather patterns.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PhilRice Executive Director John de Leon said the Philippines is prone to a potential \u201csuper\u201d El Ni\u00f1o, with projected warming of up to 2.2 degrees Celsius, which could sharply reduce rainfall and strain water resources in key agricultural areas. <\/strong><\/p>\n

He said officials are reviewing rainfall projections and water availability to adjust planting strategies and mitigate risks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the DA is prioritizing the establishment of solar-powered irrigation systems to help address surging fuel and electricity costs and provide water in farms affected by drought.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The country\u2019s peak land preparation is set from May to June, where local farmers use fuel for tractors, cultivators, and withers, alongside fertilizer application.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The DA is also coordinating with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to optimize water allocation and ensure irrigation systems are ready for prolonged dry spells.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing for a potentially severe El Niño later this year (2026), warning that a prolonged dry spell could hit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19797"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19797"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19799,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19797\/revisions\/19799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}