THE EFFECTS of what weather scientists said was a weak El Niño are felt nationwide, including in Cebu and, in this photo, in farms in the town of Daraga, Albay province which leaves this farmer pondering about his and his family’s future.
MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON
CEBU CITY—A state of calamity has been declared in five towns in Cebu province due to declining water supply caused by the dry spell which weather experts said could last until the end of this year.
The declaration of a state of calamity will allow the towns of Borbon, Tabuelan, and Tuburan in the north and Argao and Moalboal in the south to tap their calamity funds and help affected farmers and residents.
Borbon Mayor Bernard Sepulveda said the town had started rationing water to all 19 of its villages because shallow wells were drying up due to the dry spell.
Rolando Bucog, Borbon municipal administrator, said the Lugo Water System and the Borbon Water District could supply water for only 12 hours.
“There’s a reported decrease of about 50 percent in our water supply for almost a month now,” he told the Inquirer.
The town of Tuburan is in the same rut.
Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante said municipal government-owned dump trucks have been delivering barrels of water to residents of mountain villages where water is becoming scarce.
Officials of the towns of Argao and Moalboal also raised a similar concern. Tabuelan town reported that its cornfields and rice paddies had been affected by the dry spell.
Officials of the towns of Dalaguete and Samboan in the south may also declare a state of calamity because of the El Niño phenomenon.
Samboan Mayor Raymond Calderon said corn farmers could not start planting because they were waiting for the rainy season to come.
“Most of our cornfields here are rain-fed. Supposedly, the farmers have started to plant at this time but they haven’t. We are worried that the production for the remaining quarter of this year may be affected,” he said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has linked the dry spell to what it said was a weak El Niño.
The weather forecasting agency said El Niño may last until the end of the year if it strengthened.
In Palawan, the provincial government is offering to provide bulk water supply to Puerto Princesa City in a move that it said will improve the water situation in the capital, said Tony Romasanta, Puerto Princesa City Water District manager, on Wednesday.
Romasanta told reporters they are expecting a formal proposal from the provincial government following their meeting recently with Gov. Jose Alvarez.
However, the water district is also planning to develop its own ground water sources using a P482-million loan package it is now securing with the Development Bank of the Philippines and Bank of Philippine Islands, added Romasanta.
The provincial government’s proposal came as the city faces severe problems in finding sufficient water to sustain its growing population’s needs.
“With the onset of El Niño phenomenon and prolonged dry season, we are fast losing our surface water and now we are relying almost solely on groundwater,” Romasanta said.
Romasanta added, however, that they have yet to see how the provincial government intends to meet a contractual obligation as bulk water supplier for the city water district and weigh it against similar proposals raised to them earlier by private corporations engaged in bulk water supply, including major players Primewater and Ayala Corp.
“There is nothing wrong with bulk water supply, but we want to carefully study them first and see if it makes good economic sense,” Romasanta said.
He added that based on their initial computation on a ballpark price of P14.50 per cubic meter being offered by the provincial government, the water district is still better off developing its water source through the loan package and paying a 5-year amortization.
He added, however, that the matter will be discussed by their board of directors and referred to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) for approval.
The provincial government of Palawan has yet to submit its proposal to be a bulk water supplier to the city water district.
Provincial information officer Gil Acosta earlier told the Inquirer that the provincial government “has the technical capacity and equipment” to perform the function.
The provincial government’s proposal also came as several municipalities in Palawan initiated moves to abolish its existing local water districts and allow the local government to take over the role.
Last week, the municipality of Roxas in northern Palawan passed a resolution asking LWUA to abolish its water district.
Similarly, last year, the municipality of El Nido scrapped its ongoing effort to establish a new water district in favor of the local government assuming its role. With a report from Redempto D. Anda, Inquirer Southern Luzon