MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo reactivated yesterday the El Niño Task Force and ordered the release of P1.7 billion to fund emergency measures to mitigate the detrimental effects of the dry spell on the fisheries and agriculture sectors.

The effects of El Niño could result in as much as P20 billion in economic loss in the next six months, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Immediately after its reactivation, members of the task force, chaired by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, met at the Palace to come up with “a comprehensive and integrated action plan to address the coming El Niño phenomenon,” Secretary Conrado Limcaoco, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary, told a news briefing.

Agriculture Undersecretary Bernardo Fondevilla, who was present at the briefing, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) had reported that this year’s El Niño would likely be moderate.

Full Story: PhilStar