The global community stands in solidarity with the Philippine government as it grapples with a severe drought triggered by El Niño. Concluding her visit to the Philippines, Reena Ghelani, the Climate Crisis Coordinator for El Niño/La Niña Response at United Nations (UN), together with Gustavo Gonzalez, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines, emphasized the urgent need for enhanced assistance to bolster the government's efforts in addressing the profound impact of the El Niño-induced drought.

The current El Niño episode, one of the strongest in history, is causing dry conditions and high temperatures across Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, 41 provinces are experiencing drought and nearly 31 others are facing dry spells or dry conditions. More than 1.4 million people have been affected and the upcoming harvest will likely be below average. The government, with support from partners, has put in place a national Task Force, headed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, to prepare for and mitigate the worst impacts of the crisis on water, food security, health and energy.