Following the declaration of the official start of La Niña in the country, President Marcos said the government is taking measures to mitigate the effects of the rainy season on the people in Central Luzon.

In a speech in San Fernando, Pampanga on Friday, July 12, the President ensured that the government is prepared to address the effects of the rains expected to hit the country later this year.

“Batid din po namin na matapos ang labis na tag-init, ang malakas na ulan at baha naman ang [kakaharapin] natin na suliranin sa susunod na ilang buwan (We are aware that after the extreme heat, we will face heavy rains and floods in the coming months),” he said.

“Kaya po pinaghahandaan na natin ang pagdating ng tag-ulan (That's why we are now preparing for the rainy season),” he added.

According to Marcos, a standby fund worth P5 million has been allocated for disaster preparation for the region in the coming months.

In addition, a total of 204,577 family food packs and over P23 million worth of non-food items are already prepositioned in the region.

President Marcos said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DWH) finished in December the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption Measures for low-lying areas in Pampanga.

“Ito ay naglalayong mapabuti ang drainage system [at] mga daluyang [lumalagos sa] mga ilog, lalo na kapag umuulan nang malakas (This aims to improve the drainage systems and those leading to the rivers especially when its raining),” he said.

The DPWH has also completed two key projects in Lubao and Floridablanca to ensure the safety of residents against landslides.

The President was in Pampanga to personally distribute the presidential assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and their families that were affected by El Niño during the first half of the year.