NDRRMC conducts technical management group meeting on El Niño
By Francis Wakefield
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) held a Technical Management Group (TMG) meeting at the NDRRM Operations Center in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, on Tuesday (March 5),and discussed the updates and preparation measures for the potential impacts of El Niño.
The NDRRMC-Technical Management Group (TMG) headed by PHIVOLCS Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. conducts a meeting on El Niño at the NDRRMOC Building to discuss the preparedness for response or action plans of the council members for the said weather phenomenon (FACEBOOK/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The meeting was presided by Department of Science and Technology (DoST) Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. and was attended by representatives from the member agencies of the NDRRMC, which include the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Agroculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Water Resourcea Board (DENR-NWRB), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Manila Water and Sewerage System (MWSS), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
As stated by PAGASA, the agency is continuously monitoring the day-to-day weather condition in relation to El Niño and encouraged concerned advised government agencies to continue undertaking appropriate measures to mitigate its possible effects throughout the country.
The El Niño Task Force, chaired by NEDA, is studying the impacts of El Niño consistent with the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Niño (RAIN) Framework composed of four considerations: food security, energy security, health, and safety.
According to NEDA, the government has been successful in mitigating the impacts of the 2015-2016 El Niño, as well as in providing assistance to affected families through the implementation of RAIN.
In response to this year’s El Niño, NDRRMC member agencies shall continuously focus on the preparedness of LGUs, food and non-food items, agriculture, water supply, power, and health, together with the employment of all available assets and resources.
Mitigation measures and initiatives will be further discussed during the upcoming NDRRRMC First Quarter Full Council Meeting on March 20 at 2 p.m. at the Department of National Defense Conference Room.