Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has ordered all military camp commanders to conserve water as the government ramps up its actions to mitigate and manage the impacts of El Nino, which is predicted to persist until May this year.

In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for government intervention, Secretary Teodoro said “commanders of all military camps across the country must take the lead in conserving water as we begin to experience the effects of El Nino.”

During the second meeting of Task Force El Nino (TFEN) held February 12 at the Office of Civil Defense in Camp Aguinaldo, Teodoro stressed “we should all support and practice daily the government’s water conservation policy as we experience the effects of El Nino.”

Teodoro emphasized the need to repair facilities such as leaking pipes to prevent additional water wastage. He also added that all military personnel and their dependents living inside military camps “must do their part in the whole-of-government approach to mitigate the El Nino effects.”

The Defense chief said the directive to military camp commanders was issued in compliance with President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 53 which directs the government to streamline, reactivate, and reconstitute the old El Nino task forces under EO No. 16 (s. 2001) and Memorandum Order No. 38 (s. 2019).

Signed on January 19, 2024, Marcos’ executive order directs the task force to develop a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan for El Nino and La Nina to provide “systematic, holistic, and results-driven interventions” to help the public cope and minimize their devastating effects.

Marcos designated Teodoro as the task force chairperson, while Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum was designated as co-chairperson.

The President also designated the following officials as task force members: Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Secretary of Agriculture Francis Tiu Laurel Jr., Secretary of Health Teodoro J. Herbosa, and Secretary of National Economic and Development Authority Arsenio M. Balisacan. Department of National Defense