By Connie Calipay
LEGAZPI CITY – Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Joey Salceda supported the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to households to intensify water conservation measures and for local government units (LGUs) to prepare alternative water sources as the country braces for the effects of a very strong El Niño.
In an interview on Saturday, Salceda said the government cannot prevent the climate phenomenon but can help communities mitigate its effects through practical preparedness measures, including storing water and developing additional water sources.
“We cannot remove El Niño because that is climate change. That is why, for the first time, we have a super El Niño,” he said.
Salceda said water conservation initiatives serve as a reminder that individuals have the capacity to help address the consequences of the phenomenon, particularly when water supplies become limited.
“I support that because it is a signal to everyone to store water or reserve water,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of proper water storage to prevent the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases.
“If you fetch water, you should use it immediately because your other enemy is dengue and other vector-borne diseases,” Salceda said.
“What other LGUs can do is fast-track our new sources of water.”
Households must recognize their “power” in reducing the risks associated with El Niño, he said. (PNA)
