ILOILO City – Western Visayas local governments have been told not to be lulled into complacency as the threat of La Niña looms, with disaster officials stressing that even a “weak” episode could still unleash floods, landslides, and heavy damage across vulnerable areas.
La Niña, a climate pattern marked by the cooling of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, typically brings heavier-than-usual rains to the Philippines.
This often results in prolonged flooding, overflowing rivers, and increased risks of landslides in vulnerable communities.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), through Resolution No. 01 approved during its third quarter meeting on September 30, urged all provincial and highly urbanized city governments to intensify monitoring and roll out preemptive safety measures ahead of the climate phenomenon’s projected onset.
“Based on historical data, La Niña events can cause widespread impacts on agriculture, infrastructure, health, and public safety, particularly in low-lying and landslide-prone communities,” the resolution emphasized.
The resolution also directed local government units to submit their action plans and immediately review and update contingency protocols. This includes:
* ensuring the readiness of evacuation centers
* conducting pre-disaster risk assessments
* strengthening risk communication and public information campaigns, and
* keeping constant coordination with national agencies for technical support and situational updates.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration weather forecaster Jan Hermo Baron told the council that climate models show a 70 percent chance of La Niña developing between October and December, decreasing to 54 percent until February 2026.
“Based on our data, it is just a weak La Niña,” he noted.
But RDRRMC chair Raul Fernandez cautioned that even a weak La Niña could disrupt lives.
“While the forecast point to a weak La Niña, LGUs need to prepare as floods still persist with just the southwest monsoon,” he said./PN
