Marcos Urges Public To Use ‘Balde’ To Collect Rainwater, Revive ‘Green Revolution’ Amid El Niño
President Marcos cited the need to think of ways to address the Super El Niño, which is projected to intensify in the coming months and persist through the first half of 2027.
SINGAPORE – The Marcos administration will embark on a campaign to encourage the public to reuse water and will revive a "green revolution" to ease the impact of the Super El Niño.
In a media interview last Sunday, Oct. 11, here, Marcos cited the need to think about ways to collect every drop of water from dams and households and to explain to Filipinos the weather phenomenon.
“Part of that public service and those public service messages will be, collect, buy buckets so that when it rains, you can collect everything,” the President said.
“We will teach you...We will give you the filter. We'll teach you how to do everything so you will not get sick and you will treat the water properly. And it will be healthy even for little children. So that's water supply,” he added.
El Niño is projected to intensify in the coming months and persist through the first half of 2027. According to the science department, the effects of El Niño on the Philippines could vary depending on the amount of rainfall received in different areas. Some parts of the country may experience more pronounced dry conditions only in the coming months.
'Plantita' revival
Marcos is also pushing for a “green revolution” to ensure enough supply of vegetables, which is expected to be hit hard by the dry spell because of potential water supply issues.
“Let us go back to the green revolution. Let's encourage everybody. We had a green revolution before, a long time ago. Then, during the pandemic, the ‘plantita’ was revived. Let us continue that,” the Chief Executive said, referring to Filipinos who made planting a hobby during the lockdown.
“Let's just keep that going. Get everybody to plant their own vegetables... It won't solve the entire problem, but it will help.”
Marcos' father and namesake, the late president Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., launched a "green revolution" in 1973 to boost food supply and nutrition efforts. The project encouraged the backyard planting of vegetables and fruits.
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo rolled out a similar initiative in 2009 and involved the setting up of urban vegetable gardens and backyard fisheries in unused government lands and vacant lots.
In the same press briefing, Marcos gave assurance that the country has enough food supply. He said agencies would submit to him their detailed plans for the El Niño next week.
