A Malacañang official urged the public to make “little behavioral changes” in conserving water, food and energy resources as El Niño’s effects “cannot be quantified and predicted.”
In an interview on the state-run television program “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama said the government has started conservation efforts and Filipinos should also do their part.
“We should not let our guard down, just because the government said we have enough water and food and there will be no interruption in electricity until a certain period of the year. We should do our share to help,” said the PCO official who is also spokesperson for Task Force El Niño.
“The government will get the ball rolling, but we also ask our countrymen to help in curbing El Niño’s impact. How? Through behavioral changes, those little things will be a big help in conserving our resources,” he said.
One example of “behavioral changes,” Villarama said, would be to remember to switch off lights or appliances when these are not in use.
Prepare for the worst
But aside from conserving energy, people must also brace for the worst, he added.
“You cannot quantify what you cannot predict. We’re up against nature. We’re already feeling the effects of a strong and mature El Niño,” Villarama said.
“Because we are up against nature, we don’t know if it will destroy our crops any further. So we will intensify our monitoring and reassess not just the water, food and energy supply but everything. Even our people’s health, because we are already suffering from the heat,” he said.
READ: Stronger El Niño phenomenon in 2024 threatens 65 provinces — DOST
The PCO official made the remarks amid reports that the weather phenomenon has so far damaged rice and corn crops in the country worth P151.4 million.
Earlier, Villarama said that a total of 41 provinces have been affected by El Niño, with Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula the hardest hit. INQ