El Niño

El Niño is a climate phenomenon that caused severe droughts and dry spells affecting over 60 provinces in the Philippines, impacting agriculture and fisheries significantly. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. responded by distributing PHP906 million in financial assistance to more than 90,000 farmers and fisherfolk through the Presidential Assistance for Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) program. The Department of Agriculture also plans to regulate imports of artificial sweeteners due to the rise in their use as a cheaper alternative to local sugar production affected by El Niño.