ILOILO City – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has urged local government units (LGUs) across Western Visayas to start preparing for the anticipated effects of La Niña.
The phenomenon, known for cooler-than-average ocean temperatures, is expected to bring increased rainfall and potentially severe weather patterns to the region.
OCD-6 Regional Director Dr. Raul Fernandez highlighted the importance of early preparations due to the strong El Niño conditions experienced earlier this year, which often precede significant La Niña effects.
“I am currently visiting LGUs and their local disaster risk reduction and management offices (LDRRMOs) to check on their preparedness. Given the trend, when El Niño is strong, La Niña can be equally forceful, bringing storms and increased rainfall,” said Fernandez.
He specifically pointed out the need for LGUs to ready themselves for possible floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
The dried-out soil from the El Niño may become unstable once heavy rains start around June or July, raising the likelihood of landslides, he explained.
Fernandez is also pushing for a thorough review of contingency plans, particularly for residents in high-risk zones.
“It is crucial that LGUs identify landslide- and flood-prone areas now, determine the population at risk, and plan evacuation sites in case of a disaster. We ensure that they have contingency plans and have pre-positioned relief goods,” he said.
In terms of disaster response capabilities, Fernandez noted that while personnel and equipment are generally prepared, there is a need for LGUs to recruit volunteers to bolster their response teams.
He suggested tapping into schools, especially through the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), to explore utilizing college students in disaster response efforts.
Meanwhile, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo announced that preparations for La Niña have already begun.
“We are preparing for the rainy season; we want to ensure readiness for La Niña,” Defensor said.
He emphasized the importance of proactive measures, including revisiting alert systems, readiness plans, and disaster maps to manage flood-prone areas effectively.
Defensor also announced a province-wide clean-up drive and road clearing to be held in mid-May.
This initiative, aimed at preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, also seeks to ensure that water flows are not obstructed by waste, which could worsen flooding situations.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has indicated that the current hot weather may persist until May, with a gradual transition to neutral conditions expected from May to June.
Currently, four out of six provinces in Region 6 – Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, and Negros Occidental – are experiencing drought, defined as three consecutive months of significantly below-normal rainfall.
Capiz province is under a dry spell, while Aklan faces dry conditions.
A dry spell is defined as three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall conditions (21 to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall./PN
