The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-6) will place its Emergency Operations Center under Blue Alert starting Oct. 11 as the region prepares for the potential impacts of “super” El Niño.
The council agreed to raise the alert level during its pre-disaster risk assessment (PDRA) and El Niño scenario-building session Friday, Oct. 9.
“This is intended for us to mobilize our resources, to convene a series of emergency meetings and ensure that all programs, projects and activities being formulated or implemented by concerned government agencies really address the effects of El Niño,” said Melissa Banias, operations section chief of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-6).
Selected response clusters covering logistics, food and nonfood items, health, law and order and crisis communication have also been activated, Banias said.
OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez said the Blue Alert is an anticipatory preparedness measure designed to strengthen monitoring, reporting and interagency coordination.
“This will ensure that we will not be caught off-guard,” Fernandez said.
During the meeting, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that a strong El Niño is present in the tropical Pacific. The phenomenon is expected to persist through the first half of 2027 and intensify to a very strong level by the end of 2026.
Western Visayas is forecast to experience below-normal rainfall in October and November, followed by way-below-normal rainfall from December through March.
The PDRA assessed the region’s climate outlook, water supply conditions and preparedness for potential impacts on food security, water resources, energy, health and public safety.
Member agencies under the El Niño sector were directed to submit their preparedness and response programs, activities and projects to their respective sector leads. The submissions will be consolidated to identify regional measures and additional actions needed to mitigate the phenomenon’s potential effects.PNA
