ILOILO City – Negros Occidental is facing a water shortage affecting both household use and agricultural activities, particularly the cultivation of rice, corn, and other crops, due to the El Niño phenomenon.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6, under the direction of Raul Fernandez, has identified Negros Occidental as one of the areas enduring a drought since February.
Drought conditions, characterized by more than a 60 percent reduction in rainfall for three consecutive months, contrast with a dry spell, which sees a 21 to 60 percent decrease.
“In Negros, we have already observed water shortages, leading to the initiation of water rationing with the assistance of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP),” Fernandez told Panay News during Tuesday’s launch of SIGURADO program by the Iloilo provincial government at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
Fernandez said mitigating the effects of El Niño need a collaborative effort among various national government agencies such as the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the BFP, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and local government units, in coordination with water districts.
As per the NIA’s action plan, Fernandez noted that water rationing would be implemented in irrigated areas as needed; the BFP is tasked with deploying fire trucks to deliver water to barangays in need; and the DENR will assist in securing water sources for household use.
Besides Negros Occidental, the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, and Antique are experiencing a dry spell.
The impact of El Niño on agriculture has escalated to P678.705 million, with the OCD-6 situational report as of March 5 detailing the agricultural sector’s damage at P678,705,381.73.
The breakdown by province is as follows:
* Iloilo – P470,089,747
* Negros Occidental – P55,088,958
* Antique – P120,637,519
* Capiz – P2,702,000
* Aklan – P30,187,159
A total of 18,039 farmers have been affected across the region, with the largest number in Iloilo (9,064), followed by Negros Occidental (1,205), Antique (3,969), Capiz (30), and Aklan (3,771).
Overall, 13,363.39 hectares of farmland have been impacted, predominantly affecting rice, corn, and high-value crops.
Support for Farmers, Fisherfolk
Fernandez assured that the affected farmers and fishermen would receive support from the relevant government agencies.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is closely monitoring El Niño’s impact on agriculture, with a particular focus on crops such as rice and corn.
Prior to El Niño, the DA had distributed heat-resistant seedlings for planting.
“Heat-resistant seeds are being provided, and backyard gardening is encouraged, with the LGUs, especially in Iloilo province, offering additional support to the affected farmers,” Fernandez explained.
For the fisheries sector, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 6 is implementing measures to assist affected fishermen, though the extent of the damage and the specifics of the assistance are yet to be detailed.
State of Calamity Not Yet Considered
The OCD-6 is not currently recommending that the region be declared in a state of calamity due to El Niño, as the criteria for such a declaration have not been met.
Furthermore, the impact – so far – of this year’’s El Niño is considered minimal compared to the 2015 event, which affected around 80,000 hectares of farmland, in contrast to the current 13,000 hectares.
“Thanks to the prompt response and early intervention by government agencies and local governments, the impact has been mitigated,” said Fernandez commending the proactive measures taken to lessen the effects of El Niño.
He further assured that, despite the intense heat, efforts have been successful in ensuring sufficient food stocks, with the National Food Authority maintaining a buffer stock of rice.
The criteria for declaring a state of calamity under National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) Memorandum Order No. 60 include:
* a minimum of 15 percent of the population projected to be affected requires emergency assistance
* at least 30 percent of livelihood sources in agriculture, business, and industry are impacted
* damage to crucial infrastructure such as major roads, bridges, power stations, water supply systems, and telecommunications facilities
* extensive destruction of fishponds, crops, poultry, and livestock
* disruption of essential services such as food supply, electricity, water, transportation, communication, and health services that cannot be restored within one week, or within 24 hours in highly urbanized areas
* significant environmental and natural resource degradation, as recommended by government agencies/PN
