Metro Manila, Philippines— The country just had its first taste of the La Niña phenomenon in Typhoon Carina, so President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there should be a whole-of-government approach to prepare for potential floods.

In a situation briefing in Mauban, Quezon, on Friday, July 26, Marcos emphasized the importance of preparedness in the wake of recent weather disturbances.

“Let’s prepare for the next flood. This is the first typhoon as La Niña. Mahaba pa ‘to. So, we have to prepare for that. Let’s think about preparing for that,” the president said.

He noted the need to factor in changes in flooding patterns in the provinces.

“We’re trying to assess what are the significant changes because all our flood control projects are projects that are in response to the – ‘yung mga flooding noon,” he noted.

Following his visit to Quezon province, the president assessed the situation in Rizal province. He also checked on the condition of typhoon victims.

He said his visit is in line with the administration’s commitment to address the impact of natural disasters and enhance disaster preparedness.

“Ways forward, long-term solutions dahil naiba talaga ito lahat ng makita ko [because conditions are now different], that’s the conclusion I keep arriving at. This is different from everything we have dealt with before. That’s why we have to come up with new ways to mitigate what is essentially a much harder problem than it was before,” Marcos said in another situation briefing in Rizal. – Tristan Nodalo