Surigao del Sur, including Bislig City, is now classified by PAGASA as experiencing dry conditions, and the state weather bureau expects the Caraga Region to get less rain than usual this month as El Niño strengthens.
The latest national advisory, El Niño Advisory No. 5, was issued by PAGASA on October 7, 2026 and signed by Administrator Nathaniel T. Servando. It says "a strong to very strong El Niño is present in the Tropical Pacific" and that forecasts show it lasting until the first half of 2027, possibly peaking before the end of 2026.
What PAGASA expects for October
For October 2026, PAGASA forecasts below-normal rainfall over most of Luzon, the Visayas, and the Caraga Region. The rest of Mindanao is expected to get near-normal rain.
The advisory also says that, based on rainfall so far and the October forecast, drought or dry spells are likely by the end of the month in most of Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. Surigao del Sur is not on that list for October, but it is next door to two provinces that are.
PAGASA uses a ladder of terms. A "dry spell" means below-normal rainfall for three straight months, or well below-normal rainfall for two. A "drought" means below-normal rainfall for five straight months, or well below-normal rainfall for three. In September 2026, the advisory counted seven provinces in drought, three under dry spell, and thirty under dry conditions nationwide.
What the province has done so far
At the Surigao del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting on September 30, PAGASA Hinatuan weather observer Rumark Leopoldo Bompat reported that the province is under dry conditions based on PAGASA's drought monitoring for Mindanao, according to a Philippine Information Agency report published October 8.
"The dry conditions may affect climate-sensitive sectors, particularly agriculture and communities dependent on available water resources," Bompat said. He added that provincial authorities were still consolidating sector-specific data to measure actual impacts.
According to PIA, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is waiting for a validated, province-wide assessment from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office. That data will be used to identify the most vulnerable areas and decide on response measures. The provincial office also ran a three-day drought contingency planning workshop for the town of Carrascal from September 30 to October 2.
As of this writing, Bislig Today has not found a separate El Niño advisory or drought declaration from the Bislig City government.
Why it matters in Bislig
Water is the main local concern. Planning documents for the city's proposed bulk water supply project note that the Bislig City Water District serves only 11 of the city's 24 barangays, and that it has had to ration supply on an every-other-day schedule during dry spells, particularly in El Niño years. That bulk water project failed a bidding round in April 2026, so the existing system is what the city has going into this dry season.
Farms are the other concern. Rice and vegetable growers who depend on rain rather than irrigation are usually the first to feel a dry spell.
What residents are being asked to do
The provincial government has asked residents to conserve water, follow official weather and climate advisories, and report water or farm concerns to local authorities. PAGASA, through the provincial briefing, encouraged communities to maintain irrigation facilities, consider rainwater harvesting, and plant drought-tolerant crops where possible.
PAGASA issues an El Niño advisory every month. The next one is expected in early November.
Sources: DOST-PAGASA El Niño Advisory No. 5 (October 7, 2026); Philippine Information Agency report by Nida Grace P. Barcena, published October 8, 2026; GMA News report on PAGASA's climate outlook (July 28, 2026).