Super El Niño now bigger threat to agriculture than Iran crisis, says Gatchalian

The incoming Super El Niño poses a bigger threat to Philippine agriculture than the recently eased Iran conflict, Senate President Win Gatchalian warned Saturday, noting that several provinces have already declared a state of calamity due to severe drought conditions.

Gatchalian raised the alarm in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on June 20, saying that even as the Iran crisis shows signs of de-escalation, the country is now confronting a climate threat with potentially more severe consequences for food production.

“Ang nakikita kong pinakamalaking banta sa sektor ng agrikultura natin ay ‘yung Super El Niño na sa pagkakaintindi ko ay nandito na at titindi pa. Mayroon nang mga probinsya na nag-declare ng state of calamity dahil nga sa tindi ng init, at napakadami na nilang mga lupain na nawalan na ng tubig at hindi na nila mataniman,” Gatchalian said.

He said the timing is particularly difficult, as the country transitions from managing the economic fallout of the Iran conflict directly into a new agricultural threat that will affect food supply and prices nationwide.

“Dahil sa kagandahang nangyari ay humuhupa na itong Iran conflict, pumapasok naman tayo dito sa Super El Niño na tingin ko ay isa rin na malaking banta sa sektor ng agrikultura. At ‘pag malaki ang banta sa sektor ng agrikultura, tayo lahat ay apektado dahil pagkain naman ‘yan, diretso sa ating sikmura,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said the Senate urgently needs a dedicated briefing from Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum to fully understand the scope and severity of the coming El Niño phenomenon.