BY NYARIKA DOMANAIS
ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas has expressed confidence that a state of calamity will be declared in response to the city’s severe water shortage affecting approximately 15,000 households.
He highlighted the critical water scarcity and outlined plans to distribute water for essential needs to the hardest-hit communities, pending available funding.
Treñas cited the ongoing discussions with Metro Pacific Iloilo Water to secure additional resources for affected barangays.
The scarcity impacts less than 30% of the population with access to piped water, while the majority rely on shallow wells now compromised by the shortage.
The mayor is awaiting a formal declaration from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, which hinges on the worsening condition forecasted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Pagasa predicts a prolonged dry spell until the end of April./PN
