The Palace on Thursday said that the public need not panic, as El Niño is not a new occurrence in the country, and the administration is prepared to face it.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro recalled that in 2024, the government established a task force to address the impacts of El Niño. If the effects of the anticipated drought prove more severe this time around, the government is prepared and has already begun disbursing “ayuda” or cash aid for workers in the agricultural sector.

“Ang pamahalaan po ay handa po sa phenomenon na ito dahil kung matatandaan ninyo po, 2024 ay nagkaroon na rin po tayo ng Task Force El Niño. Kumbaga, ang El Niño ay hindi na po bago sa Pilipinas,” Castro assured.

Instead of panicking, the public may begin readying themselves, as climate change is a reality everyone experiences, the Palace official advised. The government and its relevant agencies, she added, are there to provide support.

“So, hindi po kinakailangang mag-panic katulad ng mga nakikita natin sa mga socmed. Ang kailangan po ng mga kababayan natin ay magprepara, maging ready po. Ito po ang sinasabi sa atin ng ating Pangulo dahil ang climate change ay totoo, nandidito at nararamdaman natin,” she told reporters.

“So, tamang paghahanda ang kinakailangan, kaagapay po ninyo ang gobyerno, ang pamahalaan at lahat ng mga concerned agencies so hindi po kinakailangang mag-panic; kailangan lang po ng tamang pagprepara,” she continued.

While the Palace promised the government is ready to face the expected Super El Niño—an exceptionally intense drought—it cannot assure the public a water crisis can be curbed.

“Katulad nang sinabi natin, handa po tayo diyan. Kung anuman po ang mangyayari, kailangan pa rin nating paghandaan; kung gaano ito katindi, iyon ang dapat natin paghandaan. Hindi ko masasabi kung hindi natin mararanasan iyong sobrang tagtuyot, at ang kailangan lang po talaga natin ay magprepara—at iyon po ang ginagawa ng gobyerno,” Castro said.

The Palace official, however, discouraged Filipinos from hoarding water supply, reasoning that the drought has not yet struck and an excess of supply would be of no use.

“Hindi naman po kinakailangan … katulad nang sinabi natin, mag-ipon man kayo ng tubig ngayon at hindi naman po sa ngayon pa natin nararanasan itong tagtuyot ay hindi siya magkakaroon ng silbi. Papaano ninyo maiipon iyong tubig, gagamitin ninyo rin po iyan! Nasa tamang panahon po ito,” Castro reasoned.

She explained that bottled water must be consumed within a fixed period, and so advised against hoarding these. El Niño is a yearly weather phenomenon; if the country has survived the previous occurrences, there is no need to fear an extreme shortage of drinking water.

“So hindi po advisable na kayo ay magtago, mag-hoard ng mga tubig ngayon para iniisip ninyong mawawalan tayo ng tubig na maiinom. Ang sabi nga po natin madalas, taon-taon na po nating nararanasan ang El Niño; mayroon po tayong Task Force El Niño. Kaya po kung noong nakaraan ay nakalagpas tayo, nalampasan natin at hindi naman tayo natakot nang hindi tayo makakainom ng tubig sa araw-araw,” Castro said.

The official also warned that purchasing bottled water in excess would cause a spike in prices, worsening the situation.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippines will experience a Super El Niño starting late 2026 to early 2027.

The weather condition will bring “prolonged heat, drought, water shortages, and higher electricity demand,” followed by La Niña, which will cause cooler, wetter conditions.