MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Thursday the government is prepared for the La Niña phenomenon but called on all local government units (LGUs) in the archipelago to brace for its arrival in the country.

“Mga kababayan, ang buong mundo po ay nahaharap sa matinding pagsubok dulot sa tinatawag na climate change, pagbabago po ng panahon. Extreme weather ang nararanasan natin. Matinding init ngayon at sa mga susunod na buwan naman ay asahan natin ang matindi naman na pag-ulan,” President Marcos said during the distribution of assistance to farmers and fisherfolks affected by El Niño on the Zamboanga Peninsula in Zamboanga City.

“Kaya naman po, nananawagan ako sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Zamboanga at sa mga karatig-bayan [nito sa] buong rehiyon: Maging handa po kayo sa lahat ng oras. Alamin natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga nasasakupan at gumawa tayo ng mga programa na tiyak na makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.

La Niña is the irregularly recurring upwelling of unusually cold water to the ocean surface along the western coast of South America. It often occurs following an El Niño. It often disrupts the typical regional and global weather patterns especially in a manner opposite to that of El Niño.

With regard to the ongoing dry spell, President Marcos said the government will assist the affected local governments as he called the people and sectors to coordinate with the affected LGUs to avail of government assistance.

At the same time, President Marcos appealed for unity to surmount the present challenges, saying the aim of the Bagong Pilipinas campaign is to make more secure and productive Filipino families.

“Makakaasa po kayo na ang inyong pamahalaan ay walang humpay na magtatrabaho upang palaguin ang ating ekonomiya para makamtan natin lahat ang isang masaganang buhay para sa bawat Pilipino,” he said.

“Magsilbing patunay nawa ang pagdalaw kong ito sa inyo na hindi [nagpapabaya] ang pamahalaan. Kakampi po ninyo kami sa bawat laban at kaakibat sa bawat paghakbang tungo sa mas magandang bukas,” he added.

Two municipalities and one city out of 67 municipalities and five cities in the Zamboanga Peninsula have been placed under a state of calamity due to huge losses incurred from dry spell brought about by the El Niño.

Also, a total of 66,878 families, or 334,391 persons in 165 out of 1,904 barangays were affected by drought as of May 7. (PND)