LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Local government units in Catanduanes and Albay are bolstering preemptive measures to counter the potential threat of El Niño, focusing on securing local water supplies and supporting vulnerable agricultural communities.
In Catanduanes, Governor Patrick Alain Azanza announced the launch of the Provincial Water, Ecology and Resilience Towards El Niño (PWERTE) Program, an initiative designed to encompass all 315 barangays across the island province.
Azanza noted that the entire province remains susceptible to severe water supply strains during extended dry spells, highlighting the urgent need for long-term water management solutions.
“Under the proposed program, barangays will receive typhoon-resilient, sustainable rainwater storage facilities. The initiative will also include watershed protection, water impounding, and emergency water rationing during El Niño and in the aftermath of typhoons,” he said in an interview.
The provincial administration is seeking a initial ₱15 million allocation for 2027 to execute the program’s first phase, pending review and approval by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The initial funding will finance the installation of 130 cistern tanks—each holding 5,000 liters—along with converting seven key deep wells into solar-driven systems and procuring water meters, level sensors, and testing equipment.
A follow-up phase proposed for 2028 targets the remaining 185 barangays with an additional ₱15 million outlay. Plans for this second stage include placing 185 more cisterns, retrofitting 11 deeper wells with solar power, and building two small water-impounding infiltration ponds in higher-elevation areas.
To protect coastal freshwater reserves from saltwater intrusion, the PWERTE initiative bans new deep well drilling within 500 meters of shoreline areas without prior authorization from the National Water Resources Board.
Implementation of the resilience program will be spearheaded by a task force under the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
“Its responsibilities include validating sites, selecting appropriate water-storage facilities, identifying priority water-impounding areas, establishing water-tanker deployment protocols, and conducting inspections and monitoring,” Azanza said.
Meanwhile, neighboring Albay is preparing targeted interventions to cushion local agricultural workers against prospective crop damage and drought conditions.
Provincial Agriculturist Daryl John Buenconsejo stated that provincial officials are coordinating closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) alongside municipal agricultural officers to establish mitigation strategies.
As the weather pattern is projected to persist through mid-year, agricultural authorities are concentrating efforts on communities identified as highly vulnerable to severe dry spells.
“Farmers who may be severely affected could be encouraged to shift to crops that are more resilient to dry conditions and can be harvested within a shorter period,” he said in an interview.
Buenconsejo added that local offices are advocating the cultivation of fast-yielding cash crops to sustain household food supplies and provide supplementary revenue streams while normal agricultural output is disrupted.
“We are preparing interventions that we can provide for the farmers who may be affected,” he said.