Defense Secretary and Task Force El Niño Chairman Gilberto Teodoro Jr. encouraged local government units (LGUs) on Sunday, Feb. 18, to align their plans in mitigating and managing the impact of El Niño with the approach of the national government.
Earlier, Teodoro assured President Marcos that the task force and local disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCs) are actively working to cushion the impact of the weather phenomenon.
“Our local chief executives and DRRMCs are in the best position to determine the needs of their communities during crisis and emergencies. Effectively addressing the effects of El Niño across the country surely requires all hands on deck,” he said.
Last week, Teodoro convened the members of Task Force El Niño at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City to inform them that Pres. Marcos wanted to focus on “systematic, holistic, and results-driven interventions.”
As such, regional directors of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local DRRMCs were alerted for their El Niño response efforts.
“As in any disaster or calamity, the provincial, city, municipal and barangay-level DRRMCs should take the lead and get involved,” Teodoro told DILG Undersecretary Marlo L. Iringan.
He stressed that the task force’s efforts will streamline the national government’s response to the weather phenomenon.
“We should all cooperate and coordinate as we deal with the effects of and concerns on El Niño. We do not need a new structure. What we need is to breathe fresh energy and a new lease on life on the existing networks and links that we have all access to,” the Defense chief and task force chairperson said.
“At the regional- and local government-levels, we can reignite old connections of collaboration. We have done this in handling past disasters and calamities. The provincial DRRMCs and city DRRMCs should restart reconnecting,” he added.
Meanwhile, military commanders were also directed by Teodoro to conserve water in camps as part of efforts to cushion the impact of El Niño.
Around 41 provinces were already affected by El Niño as of last week: 17 provinces were experiencing dry conditions, 10 were bearing the brunt of dry spell, while 14 were suffering from drought.
The strong effects of El Niño are expected to persist until the end of March up to May.