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By Nitz Arancon

TEMPERATURES would continue to rise even after the dry season with the El Niño phenomenon threatening the country’s food security and its already problematic power supply starting in the second quarter.

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The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services (Pagasa) said the country has yet to feel the worst of the scorching heat which supposedly peaked from March to April.

Pagasa weather forecaster Mario Guya said the El Niño would start next month, supposedly the onset of the rainy season but the country would start feeling its effects by August.

Guya said Pagasa’s forecast is there would still be rain but the volume would not be enough for agriculture.

The same phenomenon brought drought and wreaked havoc on the country’s agriculture sector, and caused one of the worst power crises to ever hit the country, particularly Mindanao, in the early ’90s.

“Kanang panahon sa  El Niño, na-a man gihapoy ulan nga  mahitabo apan ubos kaayo ang record sa ulan anang panahona ug hinay pa gyud kaayo nga dili suspisinti nga makabasa sa yuta ug dili makapatobo sa mga tanon,” Guya said.

He said temperatures would likely rise during the El Niño months.

Guya said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has already been informing farmers about the El Niño so that they could prepare and cushion the impact of the phenomenon.

Engr. Afriquita Guliman, chief of the Misamis Oriental Agriculture Office, said the government would be implementing a program to help the farmers with irrigation.

He told Magnum Radio the program would be carried out in Gingoog and El Salvador cities, Magsaysay, Balingasag, Villanueva, Tagoloan, Opol, Initao, Manticao, Naawan and Luga-it.

“Kini nga program, magkalot kami ug tubig ilawom sa yuta ug among ipa-agi sa tubo aron i-supply sa mga irrigation,” he said.

He said the government would also distribute water pumps intended for farms in various towns in Misamis Oriental.

Avelino Andilab, division manager of the  National Irrigation Administration (NIA), downplayed the El Niño threat, saying he is optimistic that the water from rivers would be enough to meet the irrigation needs of farmers.

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