Agusan Norte steps up El Niño readiness, aligns with national resilience drive
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — The provincial government of Agusan del Norte has strengthened its preparedness for the potential impacts of El Niño by reactivating and reorganizing its Provincial Task Force El Niño (PTFEN), reinforcing the province’s capacity to anticipate risks and protect communities, livelihoods, and essential services.
The PTFEN convened on August 10 to formally operationalize the task force, assess the current and projected impacts of El Niño, and identify priority preparedness and response measures that will guide provincial interventions.
Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante emphasized the need for the provincial government to strengthen its preparedness mechanisms to ensure that appropriate interventions are in place before the impacts of El Niño become more pronounced.
The initiative supports the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen disaster preparedness, climate resilience, food and water security, and the protection of vulnerable communities, particularly in anticipation of climate-related hazards and their potential effects on agriculture, health, livelihoods, and essential services.
Gov. Amante emphasized the need to act early, protect Agusanons, and ensure that the provincial government is prepared to address the possible impacts of El Niño.
The reactivation and reorganization of the PTFEN is also in compliance with Executive Order No. 53, series of 2024, which calls for the reactivation and reorganization of the national and localized Task Forces on El Niño, as well as DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2024-065.
Under the reorganized task force, concerned provincial offices and partner agencies will work together in monitoring developments, assessing potential risks, sharing timely information, and identifying interventions that can help minimize the effects of El Niño on vulnerable communities and key sectors.
Doctor Tomas G. Tener Jr., chief of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), presided over the reorganization, with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) serving as the task force secretariat.
Tener underscored the importance of strengthening coordination among provincial offices and partner agencies to ensure that planning and interventions are based on timely information and actual conditions on the ground.
He cited the importance of coordination, monitoring, preparedness, and early intervention in addressing El Niño impacts.
Through the PTFEN, the provincial government will strengthen its coordination with concerned agencies and local government units to identify areas and sectors that may require immediate attention, particularly those that could be affected by water shortages, agricultural losses, health concerns, and disruptions to essential services.
The strengthened task force also provides a mechanism for the province to translate risk information into early and appropriate action, allowing concerned offices to prepare interventions instead of waiting for the impacts of El Niño to intensify.
This proactive approach complements the national government’s continuing efforts to build climate-resilient communities and strengthen the country’s capacity to manage the effects of extreme weather and climate variability.
For Agusan del Norte, the reactivation of the PTFEN reinforces the provincial government’s commitment to anticipatory action and whole-of-government coordination, ensuring that resources, information, and interventions are mobilized where they are most needed.
As climate-related risks continue to challenge communities and key economic sectors, the province is strengthening its preparedness not only to respond to possible El Niño impacts but also to safeguard the welfare, livelihoods, and essential needs of Agusanons. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)