Effect of El Ñiño not yet felt in Capiz
ROXAS CITY – Contrary to the climate forecasting of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) that Capiz province and this city is already experiencing dry spell brought by the El Niño phenomenon, Provincial Agriculturist Sylvia de la Cruz said that the real situation here is not.
In an interview with this writer, De la Cruz said that Capiz and its component city is not experiencing dry spell but rainshowers.
Dela Cruz said her office monitored that in Panitan there have been rains for three weeks, Pontevedra also experienced rains for two weeks and farmers are now planting and need more seeds. In Sigma it has been raining for a week but not so much while farmers continue planting for their 3rd cropping.
In Jamindan the one week rainshowers resulted to a delay of harvest while farmers need seeds for 3rd cropping.
In Dao six days of rainshowers caused a problem in drying of palay; Dumarao, one week of rainshowers, farmers cannot harvest and Tapaz, one week rainshowers and on January 16, strong rainshower was experienced here.
Earlier, PAG-ASA, in its latest El Ñiño advisory, said that the province of Capiz is already under drought condition as it experienced five (5) consecutive months from August-December with below normal rainfall.
The advisory added that drought has affected several provinces in the country, including Benguet, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Batangas, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Romblon, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Northern Samar, Aklan, Guimaras, Biliran, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Saranggani and Sultan Kudarat.
