Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Makabayan bloc lawmakers filed on Monday a resolution for hearings into the potential impact of Super El Niño on the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
PAGASA has warned of a super, or "very strong" El Niño developing and that is expected to bring warmer temperatures and below-normal rainfall.
Farmers and fisherfolk are already burdened by increasing costs of fuel and farm inputs, making them more vulnerable to the effects of the climate-induced phenomenon, the lawmakers said in House Resolution 1496.
“Nandito na ang Super El Niño. Nararamdaman na ng mga magsasaka ang kawalan ng kabuhayan at ang kawalan ng kakayahan na magsaka dahil po sa tindi ng init at iba’t-ibang mga weather phenomena,” Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co said.
(Super El Niño is here. Our farmers are already experiencing the loss of livelihood and of the ability to farm because of the extreme hint of different weather phenomena.)
Authored by Co, Gabriela Party-List Rep. Sarah Elago, and ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio, the resolution directs the Committees on Agriculture and Food, Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources, and Labor and Employment to conduct the probe.
Elago said funds should be allocated towards helping workers at this time, emphasizing the need for P50,000 production subsidy for farmers and P30,000 for fisherfolk.
"Nasa period nga ng amendments tungkol sa 2027 budget. Mahalaga ‘yung pagtitiyak na hindi lang tayo handa, pero ‘yung pondo na kinakailangan para maibsan ‘yung impact sa ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda and manggagawa ay nariyan sa 2027 budget," he said.
(We are in the period of amendments for the 2027 budget. It is important to make sure that we are not only ready but that we have funds to mitigate the impact on farmers, fisherfolk, and workers in the 2027 budget.)
KASAMA-TK Spokesperson Renato Batocabe meanwhile lamented how some farmers in Oriental Mindoro were unable to harvest onions due to the weather.
He added even if they had managed to harvest their crops, it would still have been at a loss since they spend P45 per kilo of onions that are bought at P35 per kilo.
CALL TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT WATER SOURCES
Co stressed “austerity measures” are not sufficient to address concerns on water supply and said the government must explore various water sources.
"[A]nd siyempre, ‘yung pag-ensure na hindi nawawasak ‘yung kalikasan, ine-explore natin para sa dulo po nito, ma-ensure natin na hindi mawawalan ng suplay ng tubig ang ating mga pamilya, komunidad, at lalo na ang ating mga magsasaka," Co said.
(And, of course, while ensuring our environment is not destroyed. We will explore other sources, but in the end, we have to ensure that families, communities and our farmers do not lose their water supply.)
The National Water Resources Board earlier urged the public to conserve water due to the potential impact of Super El Niño.
Public urged to conserve water as 'super' El Niño looms
Meanwhile, a think tank called on the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to prepare for a possible increase in electricity costs due to Super El Niño.
"I call on the DA as well as the DTI to prepare as well as monitor the prices sa merkado (in the market) and prepare for the increase of prices in electricity,” CONSUMA PH spokesperson Nathan Oducado said in a video statement.
He said the lack of rainfall will affect hydropower plants and push power rates up.