Roi
Anthoni B. Lomotan
DUMAGUETE CITY,
April 16 (PIA) – The country’s weather bureau station in Negros Oriental has
seen a decrease in the amount of rainfall and rise of temperature over the past
three months which indicate that El Niño phenomenon has stepped in Dumaguete
City and possibly in other parts of the province.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Services Administration
(PAGASA)-Negros Oriental chief meteorological officer Neptune Catarata said
Dumaguete City, for example, experienced lessened rainfall amount from January
to March this year.
According to Catarata, the rainfall amount recorded in January was
71.4mm, 41.5mm in February and 1.9mm in March.
These figures are lower than the average rainfall amount
experienced by Dumaguete City during the first quarter of the year. He
mentioned that the normal average rainfall amount for January is estimated at
82.0mm, 61.4mm in February and 46.3mm in March.
For the month of April, the city has just experienced 11.9mm
amount of rainfall so far. But this is still lower than the average rainfall
amount which is 53.7mm.
On the other hand, PAGASA also noted an increase of temperature
during the mentioned period.
In January the temperature rose to 31.3°C, 30.2°C in February and
31.3°C in March. This is slightly higher than the average normal temperature
during these months.
Based on PAGASA records, the normal average temperature in January
is pegged at 28.9°C, 30.0°C in February and 30.5°C in March.
But the hottest temperature was recorded on the first week of
April with 32.9°C hotness. The day was either Good Friday or Black Saturday,
Catarata said.
Catarata underscored that even 1 centigrade anomaly can bring a
big impact in hotness of temperature. He also added that these data are seen
only in Dumaguete City and other parts of the province can possibly experience
hotter temperature.
“These are indications of abnormality in our temperature and our
rainfall (conditions). These are the signals of El Niño,” Catarata noted.
To recall, the PAGASA head office in Manila has announced that the
country is experiencing mild case of El Niño or prolonged dry season. This
prolonged dry season might last until the middle of the year.
The impact of El Niño can be damages to crops and livestock.
However, Provincial Agriculturist Office (PAO) research division
Chief Charito Catarata disclosed that so far, the dry spell has not yet
affected the cropping of major agricultural products.
“According to the provincial agriculturist, most of the farmers
have harvested already the first crop and also the second crop. The first and
second cropping seasons are seen normal,” Catarata mentioned.
But still, in order to mitigate the negative effects of El Niño in
agriculture, PAO advises farmers to plant drought tolerant varieties of rice.
Catarata explained that the International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI) and the Philippine Rice Research (PhilRice) Institute has been
developing drought tolerant varieties of rice which are suitable to plant in
seasons like this.
He calls on to all farmers in the province to contact PAO or in
their municipal agriculture office to inquire and avail on this kind of
variety.
Aside from this, Catarata also advises farmers to plant early
maturing crops or products that don’t take a long time to mature. These are
legumes that include winged beans, mung beans and pigeon peas.
Also, PAO prescribes farmers to do intermittent irrigation in rice
fields as another adaptation measures for El Niño.
Catarata explained the process which instead of continuous
irrigation to rice paddies, farmers will only put sufficient amount of water in
the paddies and monitor within 2-3 days if there is cracking of the soil.
Once there is a soil cracking, that will be the time they will
water their rice fields.
For livestock, the PAO continuously conducts vaccination to
animals to make their resistance stronger against diseases spreading during
prolonged dry season. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)