A TOTAL of 106 local government units across five regions have declared a state of calamity as prolonged dry conditions driven by the strengthening El Niño phenomenon continue to take a heavy toll on communities and agriculture, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Monday.
Cagayan Valley accounts for the largest number at 66 areas, followed by Caraga with 23, Bicol with 12, Calabarzon with four, and Soccsksargen with one. The declaration enables faster release of emergency funds and intervention measures to address water shortages, crop failures, and other urgent needs.
The extreme dryness has triggered at least 39 forest and mountain fire incidents in the Caraga region alone, where four cities and municipalities have reported water supply interruptions and 33 localities have suspended classes at various levels. Nationwide, the adverse effects have reached 104,149 families or 388,375 individuals, with agricultural damage and production losses estimated at ₱5.56 billion. Cagayan Valley bears the brunt of these losses at ₱4.96 billion.
More than 201,000 farmers and fisherfolk have been affected, with over 223,000 hectares of farmland damaged — 41,164 hectares of which suffered total crop loss with no possibility of recovery. So far, assistance worth roughly ₱39 million has been extended to affected communities.
State weather bureau PAGASA confirmed El Niño conditions back in June and has since warned that the event could become record‑breaking and persist until as late as March or June 2027. Around 40 provinces are already seeing reduced rainfall; that number is projected to rise to 80 by January.
While El Niño generally brings drier weather, PAGASA also noted that the western section of the country may experience above‑normal rains during the Southwest Monsoon, creating a mixed pattern of prolonged drought in some areas and occasional heavy downpours in others. Authorities have urged the public not to hoard bottled water and to conserve supplies as the dry spell is expected to intensify through October.
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