The Laoag City government is preparing measures to mitigate the potential effects of Super El Niño, including water shortages and rising temperatures, as part of its response plan extending through March 2027.
Mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid met with heads of various city government offices and the Bureau of Fire Protection to discuss a comprehensive El Niño mitigation and response plan aimed at protecting residents from the possible effects of prolonged dry conditions.
Among the measures is continued assistance to 1,519 farmers through funding from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 1 and the city government.
The assistance includes the distribution of fertilizers, hybrid seeds, farm machinery and other agricultural necessities. Fisherfolk are also expected to benefit from support programs intended to sustain local food production amid possible adverse weather conditions.
The city government is also working with the office of House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment to provide fuel subsidies to tricycle drivers and kutseros, or horse-drawn carriage drivers.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries of the city's Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program have received their wages, according to the city government.
The local government said its preparations focus on helping residents maintain their livelihoods and ensuring a steady supply of locally produced food as the threat of Super El Niño looms.
The measures come amid concerns that prolonged dry conditions could affect agricultural production, water availability and the income of farmers and other workers who depend on weather-sensitive livelihoods.