DA assures El Niño measures despite Q3 output drop

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MEASURES IN PLACE. Farmers lay out their harvested palay (unhusked rice) for drying in Baliwag City, Bulacan on April 14, 2023. The Department of Agriculture on Friday (Nov. 6, 2026) assured that it has measures in place to cushion the impact of extreme weather, following a decline in agriculture and fisheries production during the third quarter. (PNA file photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday assured that it has measures in place to cushion the impact of extreme weather, following a 5 percent decline in agriculture and fisheries production in the third quarter.

Both “rising input costs and unfavorable weather situations” are seen as factors behind the overall output drop, valued at PHP389.42 billion in July to September, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report.

In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the administration has already prepared funds and intervention to ensure recovery from the looming effect of very strong El Niño.

“We have mapped out a PHP62-billion El Niño response plan that will leverage new technologies, innovations, targeted interventions, and collaboration with various government agencies to mitigate the impact of the climate risk on agriculture,” he said.

For his part, DA Undersecretary and Rice Industry Development Program overseer Christopher Morales underscored the need to allocate investments in water management infrastructure.

“Water management infrastructure will not only help us cope with droughts but also allow us to store excess water during La Niña episodes,” he said.

These include water impounding dams and solar-powered irrigation systems.

Tiu Laurel, meanwhile, said that subsectors which performed stronger during the third quarter, particularly livestock and poultry, offer a “foundation for recovery” as the country braces for the peak impact of a very strong El Niño.

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