00:00 President Bongbong Marcos is in a hurry with his irrigation projects before May,
00:05 when he is expected to experience drought.
00:08 The country's 77% is affected.
00:10 Ivan Mayerina is on the scene.
00:12 More than the land that is being dried,
00:17 the destruction of crops and its effect on the price and supply of food,
00:21 the preparation is now being delayed by El Nino,
00:23 which is still being delayed until May.
00:25 That's why, according to President Bongbong Marcos,
00:28 the Balbalungao Small Water Reservoir Irrigation Project is not yet complete.
00:32 Here, they will collect water for 1,000 hectares of rice fields in the Lupao, Nueva Ecija,
00:37 which will benefit 500 farmers.
00:39 But there are other projects that are being rushed to be completed.
00:42 We have four months to finish all of this,
00:46 to make it operational, all of this, by April of next year.
00:51 So that when May comes, the drought is still there and it's not raining yet,
00:58 we will have a sufficient water supply.
01:01 141 excavators were turned over to the National Irrigation Administration in Subic Bay Freeport.
01:07 These excavators will be distributed to maintain irrigation systems throughout the country,
01:13 so that even if there are no rains, the farmers will have water.
01:18 To ensure our food supply, and to ensure our food supply,
01:23 our irrigation systems must be functional.
01:27 The data collection will continue to be the basis of the efforts of El Nino and climate change.
01:32 The structure of the Binong Task Force El Nino will also change.
01:36 We really have to get everybody involved to be able to prepare,
01:40 to make sure that we can minimize, alleviate, and adapt to climate change.
01:47 That's what El Nino is all about.
01:50 The DSWD and DOLE are also preparing to provide assistance to farmers affected by El Nino,
01:55 and to those who are affected by it at high prices.
02:00 Up to 77% of the country will experience drought by the end of May,
02:05 but El Nino may be longer,
02:07 which may be like the Omeral of 1997 to 1998, the most dangerous drought in history.
02:14 The planting season is June-July,
02:17 so if there is drought until June, the crops of the farmers will be delayed,
02:22 so it can have several effects.
02:25 For GMA Integrated News, Ivan Mayrina, for 24 Hours.
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