Is your home prepared for the first 72 hours of disaster?

Detailed summary

UNICEF says that every member of the family, including children, should have a part in emergency preparations

CEBU, Philippines – As the impact of the Super El Niño is set to peak by the end of 2026, several government officials and a former lawmaker are urging their constituents be ready with their 72-hour plans for worst-case scenarios.

On Tuesday, November 10, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said in a press conference that the Cebu provincial government is working on a 72-hour disaster preparedness campaign to ensure that residents have sufficient resources they can use when conditions worsen or make it difficult for aid to arrive.

“This is not the first time that this has happened. It has always been a call — internationally — that for the first 72 hours, our homes are ready with water and food as the government help may arrive after the 72 hours during disasters,” Baricuatro said in a mix of English and Cebuano.

Former Surigao del Norte 2nd District representative Robert Ace Barbers called for a nationwide campaign to ensure that every Filipino household would have their own measures to survive 72 hours without immediate government assistance.

He urged the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and military and local officials to conduct regular drills, build reliable communication networks, and secure backup plans for critical public services during severe disruptions.

“Three days of self-sufficiency could save lives while government responders are mobilizing,” Barbers said in a statement on November 8.

As of November 5, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that a very strong El Niño was present in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

The weather agency said that the Super El Niño phenomenon will persist until the first half of 2027, causing a sustained lack of rainfall and raising the odds of dry spells and drought in the country.

On Monday, November 9, 20 senators called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a state of calamity in areas affected or threatened by the Super El Niño.

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