The El Niño Phenomenon

            These days, due to the onset of a unique dry spell, we are going through some unpleasant situation.  The temperature is high.  The sun beats down on everything:  creating discomfort, drying up the land, depleting water reserves, bringing in diseases and in congested centers of populations needless fire hazards.  The culprit:  El Niño.

            El Niño, according to weather scholars and researchers is the Spanish term for “the Christ Child.  Fishermen living along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador in South America noted the periodic onset of warm currents from the Pacific Ocean to their coast around Christmas time so they gave the phenomenon that name.  The unique weather condition caused them to harvest less quantity of fish they normally do.

            Presently, El Niño has become a “large-scale warming of surface waters of the Pacific Ocean every 3-6 years, which usually last for 9-12 months, but may continue for up to 18 months.”  While the influence of El Niño affects the dry coastal areas of Peru and Ecuador primarily, it also effects the collapse of the monsoon seasons in Asia and could cause drought in Indonesia and Northern Australia and in other parts of the globe like Africa and Central North America.

            We are fortunate enough that local preservation of our natural resources is paying dividends.  Our potable water is more than sufficient coming from the inner recesses of Mt. Kanlaon.  All over the province, however the unusual drought has destroyed a wide range of agricultural crops.  Millions of pesos lost is a disaster for many who depend on ample crop yield for livelihood.

            Each one of us bears a responsibility in protecting our environment as well as our natural resources.  Mother Nature can only give back benefits tantamount to how we protect her.