DRY SPELL. A water irrigation canal in Barangay Sipat, Plaridel Bulacan is near dangerously low level on Thursday afternoon (May 4, 2023). The National Water Resources Board has cut the allocation for irrigation to 10 cubic meters per second for the period May 1 to 10 and will totally suspend supply until mid-June when the wet cropping season begins. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)
MANILA – Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) national president Governor Dax Cua said he support the call of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. for local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the potential El Niño phenomenon.
Cua recognized the importance of conserving water and implementing precautionary measures to mitigate the ill effects of El Niño on agriculture, water resources, marine resources, human health and the environment.
"We cannot underestimate the potential impact of El Niño on our communities, particularly on our agriculture and water resources. As LGUs, we must take the necessary steps to prepare and implement mitigating measures to minimize the impact of this phenomenon," Cua said in a news release on Thursday.
He urged all his fellow LGU leaders to comply with the memorandum circular issued by Abalos, which enlists various mitigation efforts such as enacting ordinances to curb illegal connections and encouraging the prudent use of water, allowing water concessionaires and utilities to conduct emergency repairs, and updating contingency plans related to El Niño.
Cua also emphasized the importance of conducting massive information, education and communication campaigns in communities to educate and encourage the public to check and immediately fix water leaks, maximize rainwater harvesting and storage, implement water conservation measures, and set the temperature of air-conditioning units between 22 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius.
He also urged LGUs to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture regional offices for the conduct of cloud seeding operations, implementation of a rotational irrigation scheme and water-saving technology.
"Collaboration among LGUs, national government agencies, and the private sector is key to effectively addressing the impact of El Niño. We must work together to ensure that our communities are prepared and resilient," Cua said.
As the country prepares for the potential adverse effects of El Niño, he also said stands with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to prepare for the potential impacts of El Niño.
Marcos earlier ordered the creation of the “El Niño Team” that will handle the government’s response to the expected negative effects of El Niño that may hit the country starting July until early next year.
Marcos directed all the concerned government agencies to implement a whole-of-government approach such as implementation of public awareness campaign that will educate people how to conserve water and energy to mitigate the impact of the dry spell. (PNA)
