The country cannot afford to be reactive in the face of severe heat waves and economic hardship, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV requested Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian to reconvene the Senate’s Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee.
With meteorologists forecasting a “Super El Niño” phenomenon expected to intensify toward the end of 2026 and persist through the first quarter of 2027, Aquino emphasized that national preparations must sharply focus on three critical pillars of Education, Public Healthand Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Originally formed in March 2026 to address global supply chain shocks, the PROTECT Committee is being leveraged by Aquino as an essential inter-agency shield for Filipino students, healthcare facilities, small business owners and daily wage earners.
During a Senate Committee on Finance (Subcommittee B) budget hearing on Education, Aquino pressed officials on school readiness as municipal water supplies tighten. Aquino highlights funding provisions for water logistics to mitigate the risks to basic school hygiene, nutrition and student health .
“El Niño, okay. We’re assuming that ‘yung tubig mas magiging mahirap in a few months. I know there are already 100-plus municipalities who have declared an emergency because of El Niño. Are our schools prepared for a possible shortage of water?,” he said.
“Gusto ko lang i-flag ‘yung lack of water for the CR, for the canteen, drinking water, for hydration. Naka-budget na ba ‘tong El Niño preparation natin for the schools? This next year’s MOOE, kasama ‘to mga provisions na ito? Or ipagkakasya na lang nila, parang basic na ito?,” he added.
To address energy loads and water retention without burdening school budgets, he urged executive leadership to issue actionable preparedness guidelines for campus principals and teachers.
“For the lights and the fans, no? I think kaya ‘yung lights and electric fans ng solar, no? Okay, so Secretary, maybe just as a suggestion, not really a budget item, but going into next year, maybe a memo from the executive talking to the teachers and the principals on how to prepare for the El Niño. Catchment of water, mga balde, mgajerry can, or ways to be able to keep water for sanitation. Iba pa ‘yung water for drinking,” he suggested.
To safeguard vulnerable populations, including outdoor workers, commuting students and senior citizens, Aquino directed the Department of Health (DOH) and Local Government Units (LGUs) to fortify public health infrastructure before peak temperatures hit.
The senator stressed that the Department of Health, in coordination with local government units, must ensure that public hospitals and health centers are fully prepared, equipped with sufficient medical supplies and guided by a clear action plan for heat-induced illnesses.
The lawmaker emphasized that authorities must act swiftly before extreme heat escalates into a full-blown public health crisis.
Shielding small businesses and working families from soaring prices, Aquino who also chairs the Senate Trade Committee is pushing state lenders, including GSIS, SSS, Pag-IBIG and SB Corp to freeze interest payments and waive penalties from January to March 2027.
He stressed that filipinos needs loan burdens and financial breathing room with Super El Niño threatening to drive up utility and commodity costs.
By aligning executive resources across education, public health and small business support, Aquino reiterated that proactive governance remains the ultimate defense against natural and economic disasters.
“Proactive, kailangan naghahandaan na tayo. Hindi yung parang pag-dating doon pa lang tayo gagalaw, ‘di ba? ‘Yung kaya tayo, kaya ang raming nating problema kasi late na tayo gumalaw. Dapat maaga pa lang gumagalaw na tayo,” he concluded.
