Councilor passes resolution to improve abaca production DA 11 activates task force in preparation for El Niño

WithEl Niño starting to affect the agriculture sector of the Davao Region, the Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) activated the Regional Task Force to identify vulnerable and non-vulnerable areas in times of drought.

“So far wala pa kay naa pa man ta sa transition period from La Niña to El Niño. Pero activated na ang atoang Regional Task Force para ma identify ang vulnerable and non-vulnerable areas. We will focus more sa atoang rehab interventions sa vulnerable and at the same time maximize the production output ng mga non-vulnerable areas,” Joedel Leliza, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) focal of DA 11, told Edge Davao.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has been continuously monitoring the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions in the tropical Pacific.

El Niño (warm phase of ENSO) is characterized by unusually warmer than average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP).

By MAYA M. PADILLO

The final La Niña advisory was issued last March 10, 2023 with ENSO - neutral conditions now present.

“However, based on recent conditions and model forecasts, El Niño will likely develop in July-August-September (JAS) 2023 season and may persist until 2024. With this development, the PAGASA ENSO Alert and Warning System is now raised to El Niño watch,” PAGASA said in a statement.

According to PAGASA, El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could bring negative impacts (such as dry spells and droughts) in some areas of the country. However, over the western part of the country, above-normal rainfall conditions during the Southwest monsoon season (Habagat) may also be expected.

“PAGASA will continue to closely monitor the development of this ENSO phenomenon. All concerned government agencies and the general public are encouraged to keep on monitoring and take precautionary measures against the impending impacts of El Niño,” it said. By Maya M. Padillo

Councilor

Marissa Abella, chairperson of the committee of agriculture, aquaculture, and food of the city council, passed a resolution which aims to protect the quality production of abaca.

Abella is pushing for the approval of the “Resolution Urging the Approval of an Abaca Seed program with the Establishment of a Tissue-Culture Laboratory for Abaca Seedlings and Other Cash Crops” that aims to address the concerns of the ab- aca farmers.

In her privilege speech on Tuesday, Abella cited that the concerns of the abaca farmers started in October last year when NewTech Pulp, one of the major buyers of abaca wrote a letter to the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (Philfida) announcing that it will no longer buy abaca fiber in Davao Region as the Daratex variety, which the farmers are growing, are of local quality and does not meet the quality standards of the buyer.

Based on the record of the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAO), most of the abaca farmers in Davao City were engaged in FCOUNCILOR, P10