The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Sunday said the effects of the El Niño phenomenon are still “manageable”.

This was despite that some areas in Mindanao have already been placed under the state of calamity due to the drought that has been affecting their agriculture sector.

“We were assured that as of now, things are manageable but we are not complacent,” NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said in a radio interview.

As of March 10, four areas have already declared state of calamity due to El

Niño. These were Zamboanga City and municipalities of Alamada, Pikit and Aleosan, all in North Cotabato.

Report said North Cotabato has so far recorded a P477-million worth of damage on its agricultural crops.

Posadas said they already received resolutions from the local governments on how they would address the impact of El Niño.

“Mostly in Mindanao and IV-B (Mimaropa),” he said.

The disaster agency assured the local governments that disaster funds would be provided for those who would need it.

NDRMMC has yet to release a full report on the damage to agriculture sector in the country brought by the dry spell.

Water level in Angat Dam remains normal but the La Mesa Dam was 0.2 meter away from the critical level, officials said.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, La Mesa Dam would only affect a small number of consumers since most of the customers in Metro Manila get their supply from the Angat Dam.

“Major supply of Metro Manila came from Angat [Dam] that’s why (low water level in La Mesa Dam) would not bring big impact,” said Pagasa hydrologist Jason Bausa in a radio interview.

Pagasa said that as of Sunday, Angat Dam’s water level was at 200.97 meters, while La Mesa Dam was at 69.02 meters.

The Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. have started implementing water interruptions in their concession areas.

Pagasa, in a statement last month, said El Niño was seen to be weak and would likely result to below normal rainfall conditions in different parts of the country in the coming months.

Impacts also include slightly warmer surface temperatures in varying degrees from place to place and from time to time, it added. Ella Dionisio/DMS