TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - To keep the public abreast of the El Niño impacts and the government interventions, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 2 capacitated communicators, disaster responders, and local media to communicate the government’s adaptation and mitigation efforts on the effects of the dry spell in the region. 

PIA Director-General Jose Toress, Jr said, that in this crucial time, a unified message coming from all the members of the El Nino Task Force and other concerned agencies is critical for providing clarity, reassurance, and guidance.

“As the information arm of the government, we need more partners at the regional and local levels, to ensure that all vital services and key messages will be made available to the public, particularly the government’s collective efforts in addressing and mitigating the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon,” Torres said.

He also sought the assistance of the participants in combating disinformation and misinformation that may exacerbate the impacts of the weather phenomenon. 

“Our coherent communication approach helps coordinate efforts, avoids confusion, and fosters a sense of collective responsibility, inspiring resilience and cooperation among affected communities,” the Director-General said.

PIA Regional Head Angely L. Mercado also said advocacy activity aims to enhance understanding of the public on the science behind El Niño and its potential implications, and enabling the communicators to convey accurate information to the public. 

“We need more allies, more partners in the information sector to bridge the people and the government. We need you, our fellow government communicators, the media, to report and inform the public what the government is doing, and what are the various programs and services that they can avail of,” Mercado said.

Officials from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, farmer organizations, local government units, student leaders, and some civil society organizations also joined in the forum. 

During the forum, cluster leads of the Regional El Niño Team presented the various interventions, mitigation, and preparedness measures to be adapted and implemented to include the provision of assistance to affected farmers by the Department of Agriculture, the water conservation initiatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the prepositioning of health emergency commodities by the Department of Health. 

The Philippine Information Agency is the lead agency of the Strategic Communication Unit of the El Niño Task Force in the Cagayan Valley Region. 

The region, particularly in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, holds the record for the highest heat temperature in the Philippines with 42.2°C recorded on May 11, 1969. (OTB/PIA Region 2)