MANILA, Philippines — Four provinces and 24 towns are now under a state of calamity due to the prevailing dry spell, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday. The NDRRMC said the prevailing dry spell, also known as El Niño, has already destroyed P5 billion worth of agricultural crops across the country’s 13 regions. “A total of 26 local government units (LGUs) have already declared a state of calamity due to dry spell,” NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Ricardo Jalad said. Director Mario Marasigan of the DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau told the Senate committee on energy that the dry spell will have “minimal effect” on the country’s power supply. Marasigan added the Visayas region will also have steady electricity as its power sources are not dependent on hydroelectric power generators.

Source: Philippine Star April 03, 2019 16:00 UTC