Manila, March 4 -- Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno on Tuesday called for heightened preparedness in response to rising temperatures linked to the weakening of the northeast monsoon or "amihan".

Nepomuceno, also National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director, made this known in his Memorandum (No. 66, s. 2025).

With the Philippines transitioning into warmer months, the NDRRMC is calling on all member agencies and regional and local disaster risk reduction and management councils to maintain vigilance.

The shift to easterly winds is expected to result in warmer and more humid conditions, with peak heat anticipated from mid-March to the end of May.

"As we ap...