Minister Hanggodo Forms Task Force, Prepares Rp17 Trillion to Face El Niño Godzilla

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo is preparing a series of anticipatory measures to face the potential extreme El Niño, often referred to as El Niño Godzilla, in the 2026-2027 period. One of the steps to be taken is the formation of a special task force (satgas) involving various units within the Ministry of Public Works. According to Dody, the establishment of the task force is necessary because the impact of El Niño not only threatens the agricultural sector but also has the potential to affect various water resource infrastructures under the ministry’s responsibility. “Specifically for the community, regarding El Niño, I will form a special task force to face El Niño 2026-2027,” Dody said during an Infratalks event at the Ministry of Public Works office in Jakarta on Friday (19/6/2026). He explained that the task force would serve as a cross-Directorate General coordination platform to ensure infrastructure readiness to face the threat of drought expected to occur due to the phenomenon. “Why must there be a task force? The impact is not only on irrigation and rice fields not receiving water supply due to drought, but also possibly at some of our water treatment plants (sepam) which may also experience drought. Dams might also experience the same thing. Because this involves cross-Directorate Generals, there is Water Resources, there is Cipta Karya, and so on,” he clarified. Dody stated that mitigation efforts have actually been carried out for a long time. One of them is through drilling water sources in several regions that have the potential to experience drought during the long dry season. “Throughout Indonesia, in Java there are also, for example in Gunung Kidul. In Gunung Kidul, we are also drilling at several points. So at all points, not only in famously dry places like NTT, but also in other places,” he said. Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Works is strengthening agricultural sector preparedness through the construction of tertiary irrigation channels. Dody admitted that the government previously faced obstacles in the form of limited data on irrigation networks spread across various regions. Because of this, the Ministry of Public Works is now coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct data collection and mapping of irrigation networks so that drought management can be carried out more effectively. Dody also touched on the continuation of the regional road development programme, which is now regulated in Presidential Instruction Number 11 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of Regional Road Connectivity Improvement. To speed up its implementation, the government plans to utilise funding from the World Bank. The loan funds will be used to support the implementation of the Presidential Instruction for Regional Roads programme in 2027. “We are requesting a loan from the World Bank so we can accelerate the Presidential Instruction for Regional Roads (2027). Rp17 trillion,” he said. The proposed loan value reaches Rp17 trillion. The funds are expected to accelerate the improvement of quality and connectivity of regional roads in various parts of Indonesia.