ILOILO – This dry season, not only those in the agriculture sector must be mindful of how they use water. All households must judiciously use water, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
“Indi magpinagusto usik sang tubig,” said PDRRMO chief Jerry Bionat.
Used water can be recycled, he stressed.
Water used to wash dishes, for example, may be utilized to water plants, said Bionat.
He warned of a prolonged dry season due to the El Niño phenomenon that is characterized by a dearth in rainfall.
“It would be wise for households to store water,” said Bionat, because water sources may run dry such as deep wells and even water distribution utilities.
Stored water would come in handy in incidences of fire, he added.
“Ang sunog nagadaku kay nagahinulat kita sang Bureau of Fire Protection kon san-o maabot,” said Bionat.
The El Niño may continue until May, according to Rene Paciente, chief of the Marine Meteorological Services Section – Weather Division of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), during a recent visit here.
“From January to March, masyado pong mababa ang actual rainfall natin kaya way below normal ang ulan. Marami ng areas na may dry spell and drought,” he said.
With this, Paciente said, there would be a delay in the onset of rainy season in June.
“Dapat maging handa po tayo sa mga darating pang buwan kung saan asahan na kokonti ang paulan,” said Paciente.
Pagasa described dry spell as two months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way below normal (more than 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions.
Drought, on the other hand, is defined as three consecutive months of way below normal (60 percent reduction from average) or five consecutive months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall condition.
One of the sectors to be greatly is agriculture, warned Paciente. He advised farmers to plant crops that do not need much water./PN
