DOST chief: El Niño to peak in April 2024

DROUGHT and dry spell in parts of the country due to the El Niño phenomenon will peak in April 2024, or a month earlier than initially predicted, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum said yesterday.

This developed as President Marcos Jr. announced he will issue an executive order within the week reactivating the Task Force El Niño that would be co-chaired by secretaries of the Departments of Defense (DND) and Science and Technology (DOST).

Solidum, in a briefing after the sectoral meeting presided by the President in Malacañang, said 63 provinces, down from 65, will be affected by the drought, while the dry spell will be experienced in 12 provinces, instead of six.

Solidum said the El Niño will continue to affect the country until the second quarter of 2024 but normal to slightly below normal levels of rainfall can still be expected by May to June.

“Hence, we can still prepare for the effects of El Niño as we have spoken last week… the drought will peak again in April 2024 with 63 provinces possibly experiencing drought conditions and 12 provinces experiencing dry spell condition,” he said.

Solidum defined a dry spell as having three consecutive months of below normal rainfall – or 21 to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall – and two months of way below rainfall – or more than 60 percent reduction of average rainfall.

Drought, on the other hand, is having three consecutive months of way below normal rainfall condition and five consecutive months of below normal rainfall.

He said some parts of the Caraga and Davao regions, or those in the eastern side of Mindanao, are not expected to be affected by the drought or dry spell.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the President has already reactivated the Task Force on El Niño ahead of the issuance of the new executive order that would amend EO 16 that was issued in 2001.

The task force shall lead the country’s preparation and implementation of measures to cushion the effects of El Niño.

Teodoro said a national action plan (NAP) has already been crafted and submitted by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to the President.

He said the government would focus on “water