Solons urge gov’t to act vs. El Niño

He also cited the need for an “El Niño action plan” in agricultural areas in the country before the drought caused by the weather phenomenon “unleashes its full brunt” on farmers. (File Photo: Sonny Angara/Facebook)

MANILA — Senator Sonny Angara on Tuesday urged the government to take a “proactive stance” amid threats of a prolonged dry spell in Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

In a statement, Angara said the government should designate an “anti-El Niño czar” who will lead the multiagency response to the dry spell.

He also cited the need for an “El Niño action plan” in agricultural areas in the country before the drought caused by the weather phenomenon “unleashes its full brunt” on farmers.

“A man-made disaster over a natural disaster is a double whammy that will leave less food on the table for families and less income for farmers,” Angara said.

“There are threats to agriculture in multiple fronts. Government should help farmers battle the many crises they are facing,” he added.

Angara said the government could tap four sources to fund its El Niño mitigation measures.

These are the Calamity Fund or National Disaster Risk Management and Mitigation Fund; the budget of agriculture agencies, such as the National Irrigation Administration; the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund under the Rice Tariffication Law; and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s funds to aid distressed families.

Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, urged the Department of Agriculture and other government agencies to activate a Task Force El Niño that would identify communities severely impacted by droughts and water shortages.

“Dapat may Task Force El Niño ang Department of Agriculture at iba’t-ibang departamento para makita kung saan tayo makakatulong agad. Sa task force na ‘yan, ina-identify ‘yung mga bibigyan ng tubig na priority (The Department of Agriculture and other agencies must have a Task Force El Niño that would identify areas that need help. Through that task force, priority areas for water distribution would be identified),” Poe said.

She also pushed for the creation of a single agency in charge of sustainable water management and sanitation.

Poe filed the proposed Water Regulatory Act seeking to rationalize and streamline functions of various state agencies in terms of water regulation.

The proposed body is mandated to set the policy for water supply, sewerage and septage management, issue licenses, and set, review or approve rates.

“Dapat may iisang water regulatory board na ‘di lang sa tubig kundi pati sa sewerage system. Kasi ngayon, wala pang ganyan (There should be a sole water regulatory board that focuses not only on water management, but also on the management of the sewerage system),” Poe said.