A lawmaker urged Sunday Malacañang to immediately convene the National Security Council (NSC) and actuate it to draw up measures that could ensure food security amid the drought brought about by the so-called El Niño phenomenon.

Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza said that President Arroyo should waste no time in convening the NSC as food shortage has already loomed with farms across the country drying up this early.

Plaza, senatorial candidate of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), said that with the NSC working before the problem comes, the government would be able to avert imminent famine.

He said that non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and the private sector should work with the government in mitigating the disastrous effects of the acute weather phenomenon.

“National security does not only apply to armed threats. El Niño now threatens our country with hunger. Without food security, there will be instability. Famine is a disaster of the most horrible proportion,” he stressed.

Plaza added that the executive department should not solely delegate the resolution of the problem to the Department of Agriculture (DA) or the El Niño Task Force.

“El Niño is a disaster worse than typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. This early, damages due to drought are estimated to reach P10 to P20 billion. Apart from this, we are also facing an acute power and water crises. The National Disaster Coordinating Council, Department of Health and Department of Social Welfare and Development must take part in finding solutions to this problem. It’s always better to be prepared than sorry,” he pointed out.

Plaza noted that staple and fish farms have started to dry up since the onset of the El Niño. Plants, animals and even fishes had died under the scorching heat. Plaza said this is an indication of worse conditions to come since government weather experts predicted that the long dry spell would continue even until June.

“We are all stakeholders here. The government and the private sector included. All must do their share. A food summit is now in order. I repeat, this is now a national security concern. Military action is but part of the preservation of security. This is beyond military action because El Niño threatens food security for all. The NSC is mandated to preserve our security from all sorts of threats,” he said.