The provincial government of Negros Oriental will deploy 50 water pumps to communities vulnerable to the anticipated effects of El Niño, particularly to support farmers cope with the dry spell, an official said Thursday.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) chief Adrian Sedillo said the pumps –originally procured for disaster response– will be strategically distributed to areas severely affected by the dry conditions.

“The water pumps were originally procured to respond to previous disasters, such as typhoons, but these will now come in handy with the threat of El Niño,” Sedillo said.

The dry spell is projected to affect the province by December or early January, he said.

Sedillo said the province is also revisiting its El Niño action plan formulated in 2024, when Negros Oriental was placed under a state of calamity due to the phenomenon’s adverse effects.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will review the plan’s strategies and mitigation measures that can still be adopted or need tweaking, he said.

Meanwhile, Sedillo said the provincial government, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, plans to hold an El Niño caravan to bring together stakeholders and government agencies to discuss and share measures to mitigate the phenomenon’s impact. (PNA)