Iloilo City: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to revise its Operation Listo manual for local government units (LGUs) to address new challenges, with a focus on establishing a standardized protocol for dam management. DILG Western Visayas Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero announced the directive during a Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) meeting. He emphasized the need to convene local chief executives to develop this protocol. According to Philippines News Agency, the announcement was part of the DILG's presentation on preparations for the upcoming La Niña phenomenon. Local Government Operations Officer II Daniel Jade Jardiolin reported that a memorandum was issued on August 7, urging LGUs to inventory dams as a preparatory measure. This inventory aims to ensure consistent and reliable data across LGUs, focusing on dams primarily operated by the local governments rather than the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). The inventory requ ires LGUs to provide comprehensive data, including operational status, operator details, dam type, normal water levels, impacted areas, and potentially affected populations. The data revealed that Aklan province has 17 dams with 25 vulnerable barangays, Antique has 18 dams with 38 barangays at risk, Capiz has 13 dams with 54 affected villages, Guimaras has one dam with no endangered barangays, Iloilo has 10 dams with 65 at-risk barangays, and Negros Occidental has 14 dams with uncertain impact details. Civil Defense Director and RDRRMC Chair Raul Fernandez stressed the importance of NIA communicating dam statuses to LGUs to facilitate preemptive measures like evacuations. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration Weather Specialist Engr. Ferdinand Rubin Jr. highlighted a 74 percent probability of a short-lived La Niña developing from November to January, possibly extending into early 2025, with prevailing conditions already noted in the Tropical Pacific.