• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Negros Occidental is expected to experience dry spell, while 15 other provinces in the Visayas, including Panay, will likely have dry condition by the end of this month, as the country braces for the El Niño phenomenon.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, released Jan. 10 an outlook for areas potential for dry condition, dry spell, and drought for end of this month, which showed that Negros Occidental is the only province in the Visayas that could experience dry spell.
The other provinces include Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bulacan, Aurora, Metro Manila, Rizal, and Occidental Mindoro in Luzon; and Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Basilan in Mindanao.
“Dry spell is defined as three consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition,” the weather bureau explained.
Drought, or three consecutive months of way below normal rainfall condition, is possible in Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, and Palawan.
Dry condition, defined as two consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition, could likely be experienced in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte, and in nine provinces in Luzon and 12 in Mindanao.
The Negros Occidental provincial government earlier allotted P15 million and is preparing for “focused responses to help farmers cope with the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, seen to last until the second quarter of 2024”. | CGC
