MANILA, Philippines – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) IV- MiMaRoPa Quick Response Team (QRT) in coordination with Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management (PDRRM), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Department of Agriculture, National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and Office Civil Defence (OCD) closely monitors the extreme effects of El-Niño-induced drought which has been continually felt across MiMaRoPa, especially in Occidental Mindoro, Palawan and Romblon.

El Niño refers to the abnormal warming of the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP) is characterized by below normal rainfall.

The human and economic toll from drought is increasingly apparent in MiMaRoPa.

PAGASA is still observing the tropical Pacific while DSWD, DA, and NIA have joint efforts to identify the affected areas and families, especially farmers and fishermen, in MiMaRoPa.

Based on the initial report of PDDRM, Occidental Mindoro, as of 3:00 PM April 15, 2016, there are six (6) affected municipalities from the province of Occidental Mindoro which have been adversely affected by El Nino. These are municipalities of Looc, Lubang, Magsaysay, San Jose, Sta. Cruz and Sablayan.

From the said six (6) municipalities, 13 barangays are affected. However, there are barangays from the municipality of Sta. Cruz which are still needed to be identified.

Also, in Occidental Mindoro, there are 755 farmers affected by El Nino. Most of them are onion, garlic, and corn growers.

On the other hand, based on the submitted report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Odiongan Romblon, a total of 1,223.35 hectares have been adversely affected in 14 municipalities of Romblon. Most of these are composed of rice fields.

Social Welfare and Development Team (SWADT) in Romblon is currently coordinating with the Local Government Unit of the province for further updates.

DSWD, in coordination with other concerned agencies, is taking its precautionary measures in order to mitigate the impacts of this phenomenon.

“We are exerting our best effort in order to expedite the release of assistance needed by MiMaRoPans who are painfully affected by El Nino,” according to DSWD IV-MiMaRoPa Regional Director Wilma D. Naviamos.
Members of DSWD QRT are continuously updating the data of number of affected barangays, families and persons in MiMaRoPa.

“We have instructed our Municipal Quick Response Teams to coordinate with the counterpart DA representatives, local agriculturists and irrigation officers of NIA, if there’s any, for urgent joint on-site assessment or validation and outright direct interventions to farmers and fisherfolks in the priority communities by DSWD,” emphasized RD Naviamos.

Relief goods and other assistance needed are being prepared for quick distribution in the affected areas. Local purchases of drinking water and mongo beans in the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan are on-going that will form part of food packs.

“DSWD shall provide actual foodpacks, mineral water and monggo beans for outright food assistance for cash for work programs and other alternative livelihood activities,” said RD Naviamos.
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