By Edith B. Colmo

Councilor Alex Paglumo-tan, committee chair on agriculture expects Mayor Evelio Leonardia to act positively on his resolution approved by his fellow legislature to request the mayor for the creation of Task Force El Niño.

This is to support the call of the national government to prepare for the adverse effects in the farms of El Niño phenomenon which will last until June this year.

Paglumotan said, Task Force El Niño shall be composed of the mayor’s office, city agriculture department, private sectors, and other related line agencies.

Bacolod City, Paglumotan said is not spared of the possible devastation from the intense heat of El Niño phenomenon, because there are some barangays which are classified as agricultural- based.

Areas identified as rice, corn and vegetable producing ba-rangays are: Barangays Alangilan, Granada, Cabug, Felisa, parts of Handumanan, Mansilingan, Sum-ag, and portion of Mandalagan and Bata which are more on sugarcane production.

He also said, once the Task Force El Niño is formed, it can immediately plan out preventive measures to implement so that farmers in the affected areas can also prepare.*