As La Niña is expected to start affecting the country in July, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and its field offices to prepare in order to mitigate the extreme weather phenomenon's potential impacts.
The DENR said it recently issued a memorandum mandating MGB regional directors to activate their Operation Centers (OPCENs) and to help in the conduct of Pre-Disaster Risk Assessments (PDRAs) in close coordination with their respective Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office counterparts.
The memorandum was signed by DENR Undersecretaries for Field Operations Juan Miguel Cuna and Joselin Marcus Fragada.
Fragada said the DENR directed the MGB to equip concerned local government units (LGUs) with updated geohazard maps and conduct information, education, and communication activities.
“The most proactive measure we are undertaking at this point is first to, once again, reiterate to the local government units that we have geohazard maps available and we've distributed them,” he said in an ambush interview on Thursday, June 20.
“And we'd like to be able to actually educate these people, more the communities. In light of the landslides that occurred early this year, last year, we'd like to be able to prepare the communities. So, it's more coordination with the LGU, OCD, disaster preparedness,” the undersecretary went on.
Meanwhile, Fragada said that the DENR has identified over 100 “susceptible areas” in the country, or those locations which are prone to various hazards.
He stated that there are currently over 60 large-scale mining projects in the Philippines registered with the environment department.
The DENR noted that it has long set strict safety rules and regulations on large-scale mining operations.
“DENR Administrative Order No. 2000-98 or the Mine Safety and Health Standard specifically provides for the mine safety and health standards in mining operations,” it stated.
“It provides for the creation of a multi-partite monitoring team composed of representatives from the MGB, concerned local government units, the operating mining company, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and other concerned agencies and entities, tasked to regularly conduct inspection to check on environment and safety measures in the mines site.”
As such, the DENR said mining projects are mandated to employ at least one full-time safety engineer and safety inspector to oversee the implementation of safety measures in the mine sites.
Agri sector’s preparation
Earlier, the Department of Agriculture (DA) instructed its field offices nationwide to brace for the adverse effects of heavy rainfall, which is anticipated to cause more significant agricultural damage than El Niño.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operations U-Nichols Manalo said the agency has been coordinating with farmer groups for drainage water management for farms.
The agriculture department is now looking into areas that have been affected by La Niña in its past 16 episodes in the country, he added.
Citing past episodes of weather phenomena, Manalo said La Niña has caused greater damage than El Niño.
Based on the last El Niño bulletin of the DA, the impact of the phenomenon on the agricultural sector has resulted in P9.50 billion in damage, affecting 175,063 farmers and fisherfolk.
It reported that 13 regions across the country have been affected by the dry spell, including the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen.
On June 4, state weather bureau PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) announced that the El Niño phenomenon had ended in the tropical Pacific Ocean and said that La Niña usually follows strong El Niño events. It added that a 69 percent chance of La Niña developing in the months of July, August, and September.
PAGASA noted that La Niña increases the likelihood of above-normal rainfall conditions in various parts of the country. Adverse impacts such as floods and landslides are expected to affect vulnerable areas and communities.