The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday it has asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the full P45 billion it requested to fund El Niño mitigation measures and fuel subsidies for farmers and fisherfolk.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said only P6.2 billion has been released so far, covering the first tranche of interventions. The DA has requested that the second batch be released soon, as the El Niño weather pattern — a recurring climate episode marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific that brings below-normal rainfall to the Philippines — is expected to peak between November and April.

The request covers tractors and additional fertilizer, with the DA concentrating support on areas hit hardest by the dry spell. In areas with limited water, the agency will promote drought-resistant crops such as mung beans and other vegetables.

Mr. Laurel said the fishing, livestock, and poultry industries are all at risk from the prolonged dry conditions. These sectors anchor the country's food supply and rural livelihoods, and extended dry spells can limit water availability and constrain planting options in affected provinces.

For areas where nothing can be planted, the DA will work with the Department of Labor and Employment to deploy its TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) emergency employment program to hire workers for land preparation.

"Drought is not forever," Mr. Laurel said, adding that the land can be readied for cultivation once the rains return.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will also be tapped to help augment the daily needs of affected farmers, while the DA is coordinating with local government units to access their calamity funds — local budgets set aside for disaster response.

The initial P6.2-billion tranche is expected to reach nearly 311,000 farmers and fisherfolk, with the largest number of payouts scheduled for November. Fuel assistance for fisherfolk will begin rolling out this week, while payouts to farmers are targeted before the end of the quarter. The second tranche remains pending with the DBM, which the DA has pressed to release soon, and the pace of that decision is a key point to watch as the projected November-to-April peak of the dry pattern approaches. — Moureen Ylessandra B. Dizon