Five towns in the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro have been declared in a state of calamity due to the severe impact of El Niño. The towns affected include Mansalay and Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro, and Looc, Magsaysay, and San Jose in Occidental Mindoro. In Mansalay, where agriculture is the primary source of livelihood, about 80% of the land has suffered from drought, impacting 1,000 farmers directly, with another 1,000 currently being assessed.
Bulalacao has been in a state of calamity for nearly three weeks, with the drought affecting approximately 4,000 residents. The extent of the damage includes around 2,000 hectares of agricultural land. Despite the local impact, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has indicated that the national rice and food supply remain stable, as the affected areas represent less than 1% of the total rice-farming population.
To aid the affected farmers, the DA has provided P5,000 in cash assistance and seeds in Oriental Mindoro. Efforts are also underway to identify alternative water sources, with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) exploring new aquifers or wells. In response to the dropping water levels in the Magat Dam due to El Niño, the NIA has reduced water allocation for irrigation and ceased water release at the end of the planting season to conserve resources for the future.
Authorities and agencies are preparing for the potential shift from El Niño to La Niña, highlighting the ongoing challenge of managing the impacts of climate variability on agriculture and water resources in the region.