DILG, OCD discuss strategic plans to prepare for ‘El Niño’

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) have mapped out plans in a bid to control and mitigate the ill effects of the El Niño phenomenon in Cagayan Valley.

In a statement, the DILG Regional Office II stressed that plans are in the offing to organize the Cagayan Valley El Niño team during the recent meeting among the concerned government agencies and other stakeholders.

The Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CVDRRMC) led by the OCD convened and discussed the organization of the said team at the regional level that will focus on the group’s “structure, functions and tasks, operationalize and expansion.’’

On Oct. 27, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 5, Series of 2023 which calls for the creation of the National El Niño team that will provide general guidelines and to synergize all efforts on mitigating the effects of El Niño.

Elsbeth Maralli, DILG Region 2 Local Government Capability Development Division LGCDD chief, Elsbeth T. Maralli emphasized the need for the creation of the regional El Niño team as region 2 is one of the regions heavily impacted by the phenomenal dry spell.

She also noted the causal connection of climate change, its influence in the formation of stronger El Niño events and effects in the agricultural sector.

“Research shows that a single degree increase in temperature will lead to at least 10 percent decrease in agricultural yield,” Maralli stressed.

“The group also endeavors to develop comprehensive strategies and plans for managing and responding to events and shall assess the potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with El Niño covering all five key sectors, namely: food security, water security, energy security, health security, and public safety,’’ the DILG stated.