Sen. Go urges LGUs to ready health services for a strong El Niño

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has called on local government units (LGUs) to prepare their health facilities and services for a possibly strong El Niño, citing risks from extreme heat, water shortages and diseases linked to poor sanitation, according to Edge Davao.

Go said preparations should start at the barangay level. He urged LGUs to tell residents how to avoid heatstroke, keep drinking water safe, and where to seek medical help when they feel unwell.

The appeal follows a warning from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The agency declared the start of the northeast monsoon, or amihan, on October 27, but said El Niño could become a very strong episode before the end of 2026, with effects possibly lasting into the first half of 2027.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, asked the Department of Health (DOH), local health offices, hospitals, rural health units and barangay health stations to keep medical supplies, safe drinking water and health services available. He said hospitals should check their water and power supplies, medical stocks and emergency plans so services are not interrupted. He also urged authorities to strengthen disease monitoring and run public information campaigns, saying action should come early rather than after conditions worsen.

According to the senator, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, outdoor workers and people with existing illnesses need special attention. He warned that shifting weather could raise respiratory illnesses in cooler periods and cases of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke during long stretches of heat. Water shortages and poor sanitation, he added, could increase waterborne diseases and mosquito breeding.

Go stressed coordination among the DOH, PAGASA, local health offices and barangay officials, especially in poor and geographically isolated communities with limited access to health care and clean water.

He also renewed his push for Senate Bill No. 173, the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience Act, which would create a dedicated agency for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. He said such a department would improve government coordination on drought, water shortages, farm losses and public health emergencies linked to El Niño.