El Niño Puts Cebu Province under State of Calamity

The Cebu provincial government has taken extra precautions as the country continues to experience extremely high heat indexes amidst the El Niño phenomenon.

In a Facebook post, Cebu Vice Governor Junjun Davide announced that the Cebu provincial board passed a resolution, putting the entire province under a “state of calamity.”

The declaration, according to an article on GMA News Online (2024), allows the local government to control prices, get funds for calamity response, and even acquire government loans.

This came a week after governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced her plans to declare the status in order to investigate the extent of damage to different areas in the province.

The declaration was considered urgent by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) after recording and taking note of several devastating effects the extreme heat has had on different sectors of the province.

An article on The Freeman (2024) also mentions that a total of 12,312 fishermen and farmers were affected by the El Niño. Local government units reported a loss of at least Php 176.8 million within 3,179.32 hectares of the province.

Another news article from Sunstar Cebu (2024) mentioned that over 3,173 livestock had been killed because of the intense weather.

The resolution mentions an increase in heat-related illnesses as well, like dehydration and heatstroke, resulting in a surge of patients at provincial hospitals, with several cases ending in death.

Cebu is also experiencing rotational water shortages as water facilities and rivers have dried up due to the lack of rain. To address this, the Capitol is planning to clean up two important water sources in the province: the Mananga and Luyang River.

The two rivers will reportedly provide up to 30,000 to 60,000 cubic meters of water daily. This will add to the Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s (MCWD) daily production, which has dipped from 301,000 cubic meters to only 60,000.

The resolution notes that the intense weather can possibly start forest and gas fires, which can cause significant damage to both property and the population.

However, Garcia emphasized that the provincial government will not be giving cash aid to those affected, but rather support them in recovering from their losses.

She plans to create a system for farmers to help themselves, rather than a culture of mendicancy that can lead to lazy workers.

The Sunstar article mentions that Garcia will be meeting with the municipal and city mayors in the province to discuss concerns about El Niño relief.

The Capitol will work hand-in-hand with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to extend help to the affected farmers and fishermen. Members registered under PCIC have been insured, with the province shouldering the premium insurance.

While the declaration only affects the province, metro cities have also taken precautions regarding the adverse effects of the intense heat.

GMA News (2024) reports that 28 neighborhoods in Cebu City have been declared to be in a state of calamity due to a water shortage. An underground river where locals source their water, is said to have a decreasing water level.

As a result, residents are now reusing and storing their water to conserve it, especially since distribution of water supply unfortunately only happens at night.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reports that over 4.5 million people from around the country have been affected by the extreme climate phenomenon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also reports that at least 44 areas around the country will have a danger level heat index in the coming days.