MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered a whole-of-government approach to ensure public safety and assist farmers affected by the El Niño and the La Niña phenomena in the country.

In the 4th Task Force El Niño meeting on March 19, the Department of Agriculture (DA) was ordered to closely coordinate with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to assess any regulation barriers imposed by the insurance commission to ensure that prompt financial aid reaches affected farmers.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Water Resources Board (NWRB) is mandated to collaborate with the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) to gather data on both water oversupply and undersupply situations.

They are also ordered to engage in collaborative efforts to devise engineering solutions that alleviate the need for extreme water conservation measures and raise public awareness on the importance of constructing additional dams in mitigating the challenges posed by the El Niño.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is also mandated to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) to assess and implement requisite measures to ensure the safety of health facilities or hospitals from the threat of fire hazards.

For its part, the OCD is tasked to closely work with Department of Tourism (DOT) regarding the impact of the El Niño phenomenon on tourists areas, specifically addressing issues related to water availability, energy resources, public health and safety concerns. (PND)