At
least P5M needed to combat water shortage
By DAVID ISRAEL SINAY
ILOILO City – The city government needs an initial of
P5 million to implement immediate solutions to the water shortage
here due to the prolonged dry spell, said the City Environment
and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).
The city’s contingency plan includes:
* acquisition of water tanks to be placed in barangays with
acute water shortage
* procurement and distribution of bulk water; and
* identification of water sources, among others.
CENRO chief Engr. Noel Hechanova, however,
admitted that these measures are “purely remedial.”
What is needed, he stressed, are medium and
long-term sustainable actions to mitigate future acute water
shortages brought about by the El Niño phenomenon.
As of March 3, 2010, the total number of barangays
with “critically acute water shortage” totaled
to 45. These have 16,176 households and with around 82,300
individuals.
The total number of the barangays with “acute
water shortage,” on the other hand, is 52, covering
27,083 households or about 134,913 individuals.
Recently, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the
city government may seek the help of the National Disaster
Coordinating Council (NDCC) should the Sangguniang Panlungsod
(SP) refuse to declare this city in a “state of imminent
danger of a calamity” due to drought.
NDCC can make the declaration upon presentation
of the necessary justifications, said Treñas.
The SP last week did not approve the request of the city government
to place the city under a “state of an imminent danger
of a calamity.”
The request was endorsed by Treñas
to the City Council and was referred to the Committee on Social
Welfare chaired by Councilor Jeffrey Ganzon.
“I still think that our councilors can
rise beyond their present parochial political beliefs. You
transcend your political affiliations and look at the greater
good for the greater number,” Treñas said.
The city government has been looking forward
for the declaration for it to utilize a portion of its calamity
fund to cushion the impact of the drought./PN
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