President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday convened inter-agency officials at Malacañang Palace to strengthen drought interventions targeting agricultural farms, critical dams, and public hospitals, Malacañang said.

Speaking at a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Labor and Employment are overseeing agricultural interventions. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the National Irrigation Administration, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, and the Local Water Utilities Administration, meanwhile, are managing water resources and irrigation infrastructure. Energy and fuel supplies are also being monitored, she added.

Ms. Castro said government agencies are actively tracking weather developments and moved to reassure the public.

“Our countrymen have nothing to worry about — the government is on top of the situation, we are ready and monitoring this,” she said.

The Palace official also called for strict adherence to household water conservation preparedness as climate conditions worsen.

“The President is taking seriously what is happening and what could worsen in the coming months,” Ms. Castro said. “Every discussion, message, suggestion, and guidance given to us by the government and the President should be taken seriously.”

To support household water security, DSWD Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian is preparing instructional videos on rainwater harvesting and filtration techniques, according to Ms. Castro. The Presidential Communications Office is likewise coordinating with its attached agencies to handle public information dissemination on drought mitigation.

Separately, the DENR said it has begun deploying technological networks nationwide to monitor and respond to the looming effects of the “Super El Niño.” El Niño, a climate pattern marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, typically brings below-normal rainfall and prolonged dry conditions to the Philippines — the reason early warning systems and water conservation sit at the center of the government’s preparations.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the DENR said it has operationalized an early warning framework built on Automated Weather Stations (AWS), Satellite Heat Stress Mapping, and Geographic Information System-based risk modeling. Local government units, water managers, and field personnel receive field alerts designed to help them respond preemptively to rising temperatures and other environmental hazards.

Regional deployments vary across the archipelago. In Central Luzon, the DENR is using a Coral Bleaching Alert System that issues updates on coral bleaching conditions. The Ilocos Region utilizes an integrated Red Flag Alert System to detect early warning signs of wildland fires. Mindanao uses AWS data to generate high-resolution peatland fire risk maps and deploy targeted patrols in high-vulnerability sectors, while regional offices in the Bicol Region operate AWS to map dry forest patches, drying creeks, shallow reefs, and emerging water-stress conditions.

Beyond science-backed data and equipment, the DENR also guides water conservation initiatives to help regional offices address the risk of water shortages and dry spells amid prolonged dry conditions.

The state weather bureau has warned that El Niño could become “very strong” and persist through the first half of 2027. Maximum daily temperatures are forecast to reach 38.7°C by March, with heat indices projected to range between 45°C and 52°C — a metric that combines air temperature and humidity to gauge heat stress on the human body.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council earlier reported that about 428,687 individuals, or 115,246 families, have been affected by the phenomenon across Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), the Bicol Region, and Caraga. A total of 106 cities and municipalities are likewise under a state of calamity — a declaration that allows affected local governments to tap emergency funds for relief and response operations.

In a separate development, Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV on Tuesday asked government lending and financial institutions to waive loan interest charges from January 2027 to March 2027 to aid small businesses, online sellers, and workers.

In a statement, Mr. Aquino called on the Government Service Insurance System, the Social Security System, the Small Business Corp. (SB Corp.), and the Home Development Mutual Fund to consider relief measures for borrowers struggling to pay loan obligations amid rising living costs. The Philippines’ inflation rate rose to 7.2% in September 2026, a figure that may worsen as water, energy, and food security come under pressure from below-normal rainfall, dry spells, and drought. The proposed waiver covers the January-to-March 2027 window and would take effect only if the four institutions adopt the measure.

Mr. Aquino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, said SB Corp. could temporarily suspend loan interest to help small business owners and online sellers navigate higher operating costs brought on by the weather. He also urged Senate President Sherwin T. Gatchalian to reconvene the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy Committee to ensure a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to preparing for the “Super El Niño.” How the four institutions respond to Mr. Aquino’s request, and whether the Senate President acts on the call to reconvene the committee, are the immediate decision points as the dry spell is forecast to run through the first half of 2027.

— Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Almira Louise S. Martinez and Francessca S. Abalos