El Nino as it affects the Philippines 2019

El nino is here in the Philippines, although this is a natural phenomenon that comes every nine years, but recently climate change has frequented its visit to the country. It is almost two months that there is no rain. The soil is becoming drier and drier as the days passed without rain. Many farmers are anxious when the rain will come. According to the PAGASA forecast  theier will be rain starting March but it is below normal, but that is fine compared to no rain at all.

So What is El Nino Phenomenon?  

El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) refers to the ocean component (El Nino) and the atmospheric component (Southern Oscillation) of a naturally occurring phenomenon that originates in the Pacific Ocean. El Nino is the unusual warming of the ocean surface in the central and east central equatorial pacific. It is strongly linked to the negative phase of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). However, El Nino could also bring rains.

How will El Nino impact the Philippines?

Rain will b very scarse during the first quarter of 2019: January, February and March. The region that will be heavily affected will be the Cordillera and some in the western and northern Mindanao.

Currently the effects of El Nino is already felt by some areas in Mindanao like the villages of Mlang, North Cotabato province. They are already experiencing the mild effect of drought as severe temperature since mid-December dried up their irrigation canals. In Zamboanga city, the water level of their infiltration plant has reduced significantly. The reduction of water level has resulted to a lower water supply, leading to no water supply in some hours of the day.

In the previous years, 2015 and 2016 El Nino damaged a total of 15.2 billion crop production loss. Around 400,000 farmers in 57 provinces and two cities were hardly-hit by the impact of the phenomenon. It has brought drought in Mindanao with agriculture damages amounting to almost 12.8 billion pesos for the first quarter of 2016. More than 395,000 ha and 295,000 farmers were during this phenomenon. The said drought also led to a violent protest of farmers from Kidapawan, North Cotabato. That resulted to the death of three farmers and injured almost a hundred of other protesters. The Mt. Apo natural forest park was razed by forest fire and a total of 350 hectares of forest was put into ashes. It Damages the habitat of the different flora and fauna inhabiting the mountain.

The PAGASA has released its climate outlook for 2019. This is to warn the Filipinos of the different weather possibilities of experience in the year. Hence, filipinos can make a wise dicissions.

How to survive during El Nino?

There are some things that we must have during this El nino. This is to lessen the effects and protect our selves and the people we love.

1. Lip Balm 

         This is to avoid chapped lips, caused by dehydration.

2. Water Bottle

          Always carry with you, a water bottle. Bcause as the weather becomes hotter and hotter, many experiences heat stroke. Its better to have a hand carry water, than waiting to be home to drink some water.

3. Mosquito repellant

         Although mosquito love a humid and moist environment which is rare during dry season, however, the transmission of the virus during high temperature might have an effect for a stronger dengue strain. So protect yourself ahead of time. 

4. Umbrella

         The heat is very intense that even the morning sun already hurts. So carry with you your umbrella.

Sustainable & Eco-friendly Campus

MSU-Maguindanao in Datu Odin Sinsuat is doing its very best to be sustainable and eco-friendly school. As well as to participate in the global challenge of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Although Climate change is a very big thing to combat, the campus has initiated something for it. Last June  25, 2010 it lauched the Campus Clean & Green program.

Among its objectives are the following;
1. Ensure protection of public health & environment.
2. Pursue and impose environmentally – sound methods that maximize the utilization of valuable resources & encourage resources conservation and recovery.
3. Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment & disposal of solid waste through the formulation & adoption of the best environmental practices in ecological solid waste management.
4. Encourage greater private sector participation in ecological solid waste management.
5. Promote environmental awareness.

To achieve the objectives are to do these numerous programs:
1. Massive Information Education Campaign for the Environment
2. Biodiversity Conservation
3. Agroforest – Based Raw Materials Established

To achieve the said programs are the following features
• The head of office will take charge in promoting waste reduction to its constituents;
• The use of used papers for students requirement, internal communications, and others;
• Re-using bottles, plastics and other reusable items;
• Vendors inside the campus premises are required to keep their surroundings clean, litter produced by their products will be charge before them;


All these hopes to be a simple contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation. If everybody will only have its simple share and acting NOW climate change is not that big thing to surpase.

Initiatives for Climate Change Pushed

SEARCA is one of the countries leading organization is taking the lead role in KC3. A digital portal that provides access to knowledge resources, including news, images, and other materials on climate change adaptations in agriculture and natural resources in Southeast Asia.

Knowledge management is one of the possible areas where agencies can possibly collaborate. The project will undertake vulnerability measurement and mapping, gender ethnographics of vulnerability and economic analysis of adaptation.

The environmentalist group hope that the climate negotiation in Panama and South Africa will result in fair, ambitious and binding commitment.

They appealed to president Aquino as the only president to head the Climate Change Body. To reject policies that increase the countries carbon footprint. Instead speed up plans that would inspire neighboring countries to put climate change at the forefront of ASEAN Cooperation.

Especially that Southeast Asian countries are among the most vulnerable and least prepared to deal with climate change impacts.

Anti-Climate Change Initiative for 2012

The Aquino administration has allocated large sum of money for its anti-climate change initiatives. 12.3 billion is for flood control and mitigation since lately there has been many provinces consistently experiencing floods. and another 7.5 billion for disaster-stricken provinces,

Party list Rep. Arnel Ty said that it is vital for the Aquino administration to pour resources to boost the Philippines capacity to mitigate climate change. Here are the list of 19 provinces most susceptible to floods;
                     1. Pampanga
                     2. Nueva Ecija
                     3. Pangasinan
                     4. Tarlac
                     5. Maguindanao
                     6. Bulacan
                     7. North Cotabato
                     8. Mindoro Oriental
                     9. Ilocos Norte
                     10. Iloilo
                     11. Cagayan
                     12. Sultan Kudarat
                     13. Ilocos Sur
                     14. Bataan
                     15. Leyte
                     16. Davao del Norte
                     17. Compostella valley
                     18. Camarines Sur
                     19. La Union

Apart from this provinces other agencies will share the large budget are the following;
1. Metropolitan Manila Development Authorities Solid Waste and Disposal Management Project
2. Philippine Atmospheric, geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
3. Laguna de Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Participation Project
4. Pasig River Rehabilitation project.

These initiatives would hopefully make the Philippine a climate resilient country, prepared from any forms of disasters and extreme weather changes.

Via Reuter

Mindanao - Renewable Energy sources for Climate Change

The World Wild Fund for Nature - International Energy Policy Coordinator Rafael Senga says that the government should focus on investing indigenous renewable sources of energy.

Renewable energy is important in obtaining energy security and economic stability and at the same time mitigates effects of climate change.

Mindanao should increase its use of renewable energy to ease the power supply shortage, which is the main cause of the rotating brownouts on the island.

WWF pointed out that the diverse types of power source from renewable sources will serve as a buffer from the adverse effects of climate change and the volatility of international fossil fuel prices. It further says that among the Asian counties the Philippines is one who has the highest rates of power source.

Clean energy is very important for the Philippines and on the island of Mindanao. Renewable sources will decrease the countries emission of  harmful gases in the atmosphere, aside from its clean its also cheap. cheap sources is equally important as we face the unpredictable changes of climate.

Climate Change Threatens World Security - Act Now!

The 4th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says "We have enough evidence, enough scientific findings which should convince people that actions should be taken." Scientist agreed that extreme weather events are expected, more violent storms and frequent flooding will rise.

Climate change as a direct threat to international peace and security is still on heavy debate. Developed countries should lead the action to mitigate climate change and encourage the developing countries to do their fair share.

These extreme weather events continue to grow both the rich and poor countries will be facing these and is expected to increase International threat to peace and security.

According to Nauru President Marcus Stephen that several islands could disappear leading to large cross-border relocations which could threaten peace and security in the relocation and evacuation areas.

Actions should be done now. Leaders of nations should lead their countries and countrymen to help mitigate climate change....

WWF Helps the Philippines in Climate Change

WWF - World Wildlife Fund is introducing the Philippine Fund for Nature - it will empower WWF-Philippines to sustain its major long-term projects. Helping conserve our biodiversity and mitigating the impact on the environment through their investments.

It will serve as an investment to increase scientific and technical expertise in understanding marine science and marine biodiversity in the Philippines, and in understanding the science behind the impact of climate change in the country.

It will also provide funds for organizations to develop and sustain projects about biodiversity and climate change. Among its major projects are the following;
       - Watershed Management project in Isabela
       - Climate Change Adaptation Plan in Davao
       - Management of the Tubbataha Reefs in the Sulu Sea

The World Wildlife Fund is aware of the Philippine's richness in natural resources as well as its high exploitation rate. Hence, they are stressing the importance of preserving these life-giving systems by striking a balance between biodiversity conservation and human impacts.

via reuter