The Department of Agriculture (DA) will employ various interventions for the La Niña phenomenon.

The interventions include water management and distribution of flood-tolerant rice varieties, the DA said.

“Ngayon naman ay naghahanda na kami para sa La Niña, ngayon ay La Niña watch pa lang wala pang, hindi pa officially na pumapasok ang La Niña, inaasahan ito last quarter,” DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

Earlier this month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has already declared the end of El Niño.

De Mesa said a major intervention for La Niña, where above normal rainfall is expected, is water management.

“So it’s more on water management intervention ng ating kagawaran, iyong mga irrigation canal ‘pag daluyan iyan ng tubig papunta sa bukirin at the same time, daluyan din iyan palabas,” he said.

The DA will also distribute flood-tolerant varieties of rice.

The agency through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will also ensure irrigation systems are up and running.

“So, tinitiyak natin through NIA at saka iyong ating mga regional field offices na maayos itong mga irrigation system na ito,” he said.

In addition to these interventions, the DA also continues to build water impounding projects to store rainfall for use during the dry spell.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has reminded local governments to stand ready for the effects of the weather phenomenon that brings more than the usual amount of rainfall.

The Chief Executive also assured farmers of the government’s preparedness measures to combat the effects of the looming La Niña.

The Department of Energy, for its part, has started its preparations for the La Niña phenomenon to avoid or mitigate damages to transmission lines. |PND