CEBU CITY (Dec. 8, 2023) – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) has warned Cebuanos of an impending water shortage during the first quarter next year.
Engr. Oscar Tabada, retired weather specialist and CCDRRMO consultant, said he expects the El Niño could last until May next year.
”Ang December, dry months nana nato hangtod na sa Abril ngari sa Mayo. Buwan sa December, below normal na ang atong tubig. Aduna na tay 60 percent nga deficit sa atong nadawat nga tubig,” Tabada said during the “Kumusta Ka’Sugbo” teleradyo program over the Sugboanon Channel.
“Pagka Enero below normal gihapon hangtod nana sa Mayo. So delikado gyud nga aduna na tay ka kuwang sa atong tubig para’s panglaba ingon man sa atong mainom,” he added.
Water shortages are also expected next year, said the former director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Central Visayas office.
He told Kumusta Ka’Sugbo anchor Ramil Ayuman that the City must look back to the lessons of past dry spells in order to prepare for the worst.
Tabada also reiterated his warning during CCDRRMO’s teleradyo program. He said he expects a few moments of rain could affect the city in the coming days.
“Gauwan ta gahapon, nalipay unta ang mga tanom. Pero sugod Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, Dominggo ug Lunes, wala gyud tay uwan. Kung naa man gane’y uwan, taligsik ra,” he added.
Tabada said he expects rainfall to go below normal starting January next year.
‘Strong’ El Niño expected
He said this El Niño could become a “strong” one after international weather agencies recorded a sea surface temperature of +1.9 degrees Celsius in the Pacific Ocean last November.
“Only four El Niños were recorded since 1950 that were considered as “strong and significant,” Tabada said.
The first “strong” El Niño was in 1982-1983 that recorded a sea surface temperature (SST) of +2.1 degrees Celsius; in 1997-1998 which recorded a SST of +2.4 degrees Celsius; and in 2015-2016 that had an SST of +2.6 degrees Celsius.
Harold Alcontin, CCDRRMO acting head, recalled that Mayor Mike Rama placed the city under a state of calamity during the 2015-2016 El Niño.
The mayor was in his second term when the dry spell broke out, he added.
Alcontin said that Rama convened a “Water is Life” task force to respond to the needs of those who could be affected.
Then City attorney and current city budget officer Jerone Castillo served as task force head during that time, he added.
The 2015-2016 El Niño had not only caused water shortages but some fires in the city, Alcontin said.
Preparations
Alcontin said the City started preparations since March this year.
He said the City has at least P400 million in quick response funds on standby for next year’s El Niño.
Alcontin said the CCDRRMO recommended to the City Council to pass a resolution to initiate a “state of preparedness” in March this year. The Council approved the resolution in same month, he added.
Alcontin said the CCDRRMO also activated its “response cluster” to assist them in preparing for the possible effects of the El Niño to Cebuanos.
He said the “response cluster” is composed of the City Health Department, City Agriculture Department, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District, the Department of Engineering and Public Works, and the Local School Board.
Alcontin said the City also made an inventory of all deep wells in the city with coordination from the Department of Public Services (DPS) and made repairs on those that are not functioning.
The City also acquired additional water tankers and even generator sets to help aid barangays, he added. | PPRMN / jkv/ kac
Cebu City • News & Information 
Comments are closed.