ILOILO City – Facing a potentially crippling water shortage of up to 80 percent and dangerous heat index levels of 48 degrees Celsius or higher, the Iloilo City Government is preparing emergency water distribution protocols and additional cooling hubs as it braces for the projected worsening effects of Super El Niño through March 2027 or longer.
The city has identified three possible scenarios, with the worst projected between February and March 2027 or beyond, when severe drought could slash water supply by 60 to 80 percent and expose residents to extreme heat.
General Services Office (GSO) head Engineer Neil Ravena said the city is drafting guidelines to regulate water donations from private organizations and suppliers, ensuring that limited resources reach the barangays most affected by shortages.
“That is one of the objectives of our meeting. We want to come up with clear protocols and guidelines that water suppliers and organizations willing to donate must follow,” Ravena said.
Under the proposed system, all water donations must be coordinated through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to prevent overlapping deliveries and ensure equitable distribution.
“We welcome donations, but they must go through the Disaster Office. We need a centralized system so that deliveries will not be duplicated and water will reach the barangays that need it most,” Ravena said.
The city’s contingency planning covers three escalating scenarios.
The first, from October to November 2026, anticipates a 20 to 30 percent reduction in water supply, with the heat index ranging from 38 to 41 degrees Celsius.
Conditions could worsen from December 2026 to January 2027, when water supply may decline by 35 to 50 percent, potentially triggering rotational water rationing and an increase in heat-related illnesses.
The most severe scenario, projected from February to March 2027 or longer, could bring an unprecedented 60 to 80 percent reduction in water supply, alongside heat index levels of at least 48 degrees Celsius.
Ravena said the emergency protocols would be tailored to these scenarios, prioritizing communities facing the most serious shortages.
Meanwhile, the city is considering additional cooling hubs to provide residents with temporary relief from prolonged extreme heat.
Potential locations include Sunset Boulevard and Diversion Road, while the existing cooling facility along General Luna Street may be retained.
The city is also exploring the conversion of Plazoleta Gay into an open-air cooling hub equipped with large umbrellas or other shaded structures.
“We are looking at possible locations where residents can take shelter from the heat. Sunset Boulevard and Diversion Road are among the areas being considered, while we are also studying how Plazoleta Gay can be developed into an open cooling hub,” Ravena said.
However, no definite reopening date has been set for the cooling hubs as authorities continue monitoring weather conditions and the projected impact of El Niño.
Iloilo City previously operated three cooling stations during periods of dangerously high heat index levels./PN
