RAINWATER HARVESTING. A "rainwater collector" in Iloilo City is shown in this undated photo. City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Donna Magno said in an interview on Monday (Aug. 28, 2023) they will install rainwater harvesting facilities amid the El Niňo phenomenon. (PNA file photo by PGLena)
Cesafinews | In light of El Niňo, Iloilo City commits P20 million to rainwater harvesting | ILOILO CITY – In response to the El Niňo phenomenon, the city administration of Iloilo has allocated PHP20 million for the installation of rainwater harvesting facilities and water purifiers.
Mayor Jerry Treas stated in an interview on Monday that he had already signed the endorsement for the city council to adopt the resolution reprogramming the funds of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMO) for the purchase.
The CDRRM council approved the resolution at their August 24 meeting.
The city government targets to install rainwater harvesting facilities and water purifiers in barangays with high cases of acute gastroenteritis and where access to water is difficult.
CDRRM Officer Donna Magno stated in a separate interview that the city’s most recent infrastructure projects, including the Iloilo City Action and Response centers and plazas, have cisterns.
She stated that a number of civil society and non-governmental organizations have already incorporated rainwater harvesting into their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Magno added that households are strongly encouraged to have rainwater harvesting systems and to conserve water so that they are prepared for any water shortages.
Since drought will be the norm in the coming years, she stated that they are also advocating for a shift in water consumption patterns.
The CDRRM officer stated, “The mayor has already established the El Niňo task force where we will discuss preparedness measures, risk reduction activities, and most importantly, a change in water consumption behavior.”
The Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment Report conducted by the city government, Ateneo de Manila University, and the University of the Philippines Visayas revealed that as a result of climate change, “dry days will become drier and longer, while wet days will become wetter and shorter,” she said.
“We must reevaluate how we use water, and we must learn from other cities where businesses and day-to-day life are negatively impacted by a lack of access to potable water,” she said.
The 2020 Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment for Iloilo City has identified 25 municipalities as drought-vulnerable, with Barangays Tacas, Lanit, Navais, Sooc, and Hinactocan being the most at risk.
The weather bureau has previously reported that a weak El Niňo could result in a dry phase or drought within the next two months.
In a July advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) stated that 36 additional provinces across the country are anticipated to be affected by drought by December.
El Nio will be moderate by the end of 2023. PAGASA added that there is an 86 percent chance that El Niňo will become moderate between November 2023 and January 2024.(via PNA)
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