28 barangays under state of calamity as Cebu City faces water crisis amid El Niño

State of calamity has been declared in 28 barangays in Cebu City due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

Creeks have dried up, crops damaged, and soils cracked in these areas amid the hot weather, GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak’s Alan Domingo reported on Unang Balita on Tuesday.

The water level in an underground river, where some residents source their water, has started to decrease, prompting Mayor Mike Rama on Monday to declare water crisis in the city.

Receiving water supply only in the evening, affected residents are storing water in drums and reusing water for different purposes to conserve water.

One of the affected residents, Victoria Candule, said she was only rinsing their laundry once and reusing the water for flushing the toilet.

“Hindi na namin tinatanggalan ng dumi. Idinidiretso na namin sa tubig na may sabon. Tapos kinukuskos. Tapos banlawan ng isang beses,” she said.

(We don't remove dirt thoroughly anymore. We put it straight in soapy water. Then rubbed. Then rinse once.)

Councilor Joel Garganera, Committee on Environment chairperson, said many farmers in the city have been badly affected by the El Niño.

“Yung mga farmers natin, they were really affected. Their projected income for this year, talagang wala (Our farmers were really affected. They have no projected income for this year),” he said.

Affected farmer Allan Cabelles said they tried to obtain water from the lower part of a cave to have an alternative supply.

“Nitong Pebrero, napakapagdesisyon kami na kumuha at maglagay ng hose sa kuweba baka makakuha pa ng tubig sa ibabang banda,” he said.

(This February, we decided to put a hose in the lower part of the cave so we could get water.)

The Cebu City government is still determining the total cost of damage to crops and livestock caused by the hot weather.

According to the local government, it is planning to use P96 million of its P600 million quick response funds to address the problem. Water containers and alternative crops may be provided to affected farmers.

PAGASA declared the start of the El Niño phenomenon on July 4 last year.

The El Niño phenomenon is characterized by the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean leading to below normal rainfall. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News