BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – This metropolis may face a potential meteorological drought by the end of April due to the El Niño phenomenon, the state weather bureau’s outlook shows.
This trend means rainfall is “way below normal” conditions for three consecutive months, or there is a 60 percent reduction from average rainfall, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
To cushion the effects of the inevitable El Niño, the city government identified contingency measures to ease the weather phenomenon’s impacts on crops, public health and water supply.
“As early as last year, we have been meeting with different stakeholders to come up with preparation and mitigating measures,” said Donna Magno, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).
As an adaptive mechanism, Iloilo City started setting up water impounding facilities in different barangays. It also launched the El Niño “Rise Against Drought: Kabuhi Luwason, Tubig Tipigan, Ilonggo Proteksyonan”, an information and education campaign on household water conservation.
The city government also intensified its regulation of commercial water dealers to monitor the volume of groundwater extraction and related business permits.
Will the city government declare a state of calamity?
Not yet, said Magno.
“We have so far not received reports from the barangays about lack of water sources,” Magno told reporters.
“We continue to monitor the situation considering the assessment in our barangays,” she added.
One key criterion to declare a state of calamity is that 15 percent of the forecasted affected population based on science-based projection is in need of emergency assistance.
The city government has intensified information campaigns on the risk and disaster effects of this weather phenomenon particularly on the behavior of water management and usage.
The General Services Office (GSO) assisted in preparing education, information, communication, and advocacy materials on the design and construction of privately dug wells.
Engr. Neil Ravena, GSO head, said they installed a rainwater harvesting facility that can hold up to 12, 600 cubic meters of rainwater. They intend to replicate such rainwater harvesting facilities and the barangay water resource mapping initiatives.
Ravena said Central Philippine University also pledged to supply water to the city’s water tankers to water plants in the city.
Architect Regina Gregorio, head of the Office of City Architect, said construction activities would normally increase during summer and, hence, would require a higher water demand.
Gregorio said they advised the construction firms to adjust the laborers’ working hours such as starting early and taking longer noon breaks so the laborers or construction workers would not be exposed to the direct heat of the sun.
She said the city also piloted a water impounding facility in La Paz Plaza to be used in watering the plants and other ornamentals in the city.
City Agriculture Office Chief Iñigo D. Garingalao said the production of high-value crops, so far, has not yet been affected by the dry season.
“The farmers choose the right variety of crops. Except if the dry spell would become intense in the coming months,” said Garingalao./PN
