ILOILO – The town of Bingawan has been placed under a state of calamity due to a severe water shortage caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
A total of 1,733 water sources in Bingawan have been adversely affected by the prolonged dry spell, according to Mayor Mark Palabrica.
These include 1,389 deep wells, 240 shallow wells, 96 springs, and eight water systems funded by KALAHI-CIDSS and the Iloilo provincial government.
The crisis has impacted 3,146 households, or 77% of the town’s population of 16,164 based on the 2020 Population Census, said Palabrica.
The decision to declare a state of calamity was made during the regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan on Wednesday morning, April 24, following the recommendation of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) led by Palabrica.
“The fact that 77 percent of our population is affected justifies our decision to declare a state of calamity,” said Palabrica.
All 14 barangays of Bingawan – Agba-o, Alabidhan, Bulabog, Cairohan, Guinhulacan, Inamyungan, Malitbog Ilawod, Malitbog Ilaya, Ngingi-an, Poblacion, Quinangyana, Quinar-Upan, Tapacon, and Tubod – have been hit by the shortage.
With the declaration, the local government can now utilize the Quick Response Fund (QRF), approximately P400,000, to explore alternative water sources, purchase storage and collection containers, and procure a water tanker for water rationing.
Though agriculture in Bingawan has not been directly affected, the crisis has led to an increase in commodity prices due to the inability of locals to plant for a third cropping.
“The halt in planting rice and other commodities has driven the cost of living up. Part of our plan is to purchase seeds for planting and regulate the price increase of main commodities,” added Mayor Palabrica.
The Municipal Health Office (MHO) has also reported a rise in health issues such as diarrhea, allergies, coughs, sore eyes, heat stroke, and hypertension, attributed to the summer season. Additional medicines are to be purchased to assist affected individuals.
Palabrica highlighted the advantages of being in a state of calamity, noting that it enables not only the local government unit (LGU) but also the barangays to use their calamity funds to mitigate the effects of El Niño on their livelihoods.
Iloilo province has seen significant agricultural damage due to El Niño, with Sara and Estancia also declaring states of calamity.
As of April 16, the province recorded P519,198,659.5 in damages to the agricultural sector, affecting 20 towns (Tigbauan, Oton, Tubungan, Anilao, San Enrique, Cabatuan, Barotac Nuevo, Miag-ao, Mina, Dingle, Dumangas, Igbaras, Banate, Zarraga, San Miguel, Carles, Barotac Viejo, Concepcion, Estancia, and Leon).
To declare a state of calamity, the following criteria must be met, set by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council:
* at least 15 percent of the forecasted affected population based on science-based projections needs emergency assistance;
* at least 30 percent of the means of livelihood in the agricultural, business and industrial sectors are affected;
* damage to critical and lifeline infrastructure/facilities such as major roads and bridges, power stations, potable water supply systems, and telecommunication facilities;
* widespread destruction of fishponds, crops, poultry and livestock
* disruption of lifelines such as food chains, electricity, potable water systems, other transport systems, communication systems, access to health service, and other related systems that cannot be restored within one week, or in the case of highly urbanized areas where restoration of the above lifelines cannot be done within twenty-four hours; and
* significant degradation of the environment and natural resources based on the recommendations of government agencies/PN