By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and Mariela Angella Oladive
The entire province of Iloilo, the hardest-hit in Western Visayas, has been placed under a state of calamity due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon and the ongoing dry season on Tuesday, May 14.
During its regular session on Tuesday, the provincial board approved the declaration following the resolution of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on April 29.
With the declaration, the provincial board has also approved the utilization of the P61 million quick response fund (QRF) and an additional P15 million for emergency responses to assist affected farmers and residents.
In the utilization of the P61 million QRF, Vice Governor Christine Garin pointed out that most of the programs are more on projects which should be instead focused on giving immediate assistance to El Niño-affected families.
“I have observed that in the QRF, we are more focused on projects rather than providing direct assistance such as water or food to our families or farmers, which are their immediate needs. I only see one item here, which is insurance for our farmers, while the rest are programs,” she said.
PDRRMC head Cornelio Salinas said that while the creation of the El Niño Task Force of the province is dedicated for the creation of long-term solutions, he acknowledged providing immediate assistance to affected individuals such as provision of food packs, water rationing, among others.
Meanwhile, the P210 million for provincial reprogramming requested by the El Niño Task Force of the province has been referred to the Committee on Disaster Relief for further study.
The El Niño Task Force of the province includes the Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Health Office, Provincial Veterinary Office, and the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office.
PDRRMC data revealed that the damage inflicted by El Niño in the province of Iloilo amounted to an alarming figure of P1.025 billion.
Rice crops suffered losses amounting to P653 million, corn crops experienced damages worth P219 million, and high-value crops sustained losses of P136 million. The fisheries sector reported damages totaling P16 million, while the livestock and poultry sectors incurred losses of P196,552.
Twelve towns out of the 43 towns in the province have declared a state of calamity in response to the severe impacts of the El Niño phenomenon, including Sara, Estancia, Bingawan, Balasan, Dingle, Lemery, San Dionisio, Banate, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Mina, and Passi City.
Iloilo is the second province in Western Visayas to declare a province-wide state of calamity, following Antique’s declaration on April 18.
Iloilo City begins water distribution
Following a postponement on Monday, the Iloilo City Government is set to commence water distribution today, confirmed Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the General Services Office (GSO).
In an interview, Ravena outlined that the water distribution system has been meticulously organized to ensure efficient operations.
An operations center will coordinate the efforts, with personnel from various departments ready to address any issues.
“The department aims to deliver 70,000 liters of water per trip, totaling 500,000 liters daily to different barangays,” Ravena stated, noting the addition of seven trucks to bolster the existing fleet.
Arrangements have been established with two bulk water suppliers: Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) and South Balibago Waterworks (SBW).
“MPIW will deliver 30 percent of the targeted daily water supply of 696.9 cubic meters, while SBW will supply the remaining 70 percent,” he explained.
Ravena also highlighted the logistical details of the distribution, including necessary documentation for auditing purposes.
“Upon arrival in the barangays, GSO personnel will prepare inspection and acceptance reports for signature, confirming the delivered volume. This process is required as the city procures the water, necessitating review by the Commission on Audit (COA),” he added.
He further appealed to residents to use the provided potable water responsibly and avoid wastage.
“We urge the public to conserve water and avoid wastage,” he emphasized.
This free water distribution initiative responds to the ongoing state of calamity due to water shortages affecting roughly 50 barangays across the city.
