MANILA, March 4 -- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday called on local government units (LGU) to mitigate the effects of El Nino through water-saving efforts.

In a statement, MMDA acting chair Don Artes said basic designs for rainwater catchment systems would be distributed to LGUs in the National Capital Region (NCR) to help alleviate the effects of El Nino, which is likely to persist until May.

To date, he said two MMDA-designed catchment systems have been installed in Pasay City linear park Tripa de Gallina in October last year -- one installed near a public toilet and another in a pocket garden.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), led by the MMDA and the 17 NCR mayors, also laid down several water-saving meas...