Philippines braces for drought as El Nino to persist until 2024

The Philippines is bracing itself for an extended El Nino, with drought likely to hit nearly 80% of its provinces.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered the consolidation of all measures to mitigate the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, which is expected to persist until the second quarter of 2024. The government has identified water, food, power, health and public safety as priority areas.
As many as 65 provinces, or 77% of all provinces in the Southeast Asian nation, could experience drought next year, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.

said in a livestreamed briefing on Tuesday.
“A strong El Nino is present in the tropical Pacific and this has further intensified, nearing its peak in the coming months,” Solidum said. “We need to further intensify our efforts to make sure that we are ready for this.”