Cebu may extend calamity status to June 2016
With the El Niño expected to drag on till next year, Cebu province’s disaster management office is eyeing a longer period — and more funds – to respond to a dry spell and water supply problems.
A recommendation to extend the declaration of a state of calamity until the second quarter of 2016 due to prolonged effects of El Niño will be taken up on Oct. 7 by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
“We will recommend to the council and the members will decide,” said Julius Regner, spokesman of the PDRRMO.
The proposal is based on the forecast of Oscar Tabada, Visayas director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), that a dry spell would intensify.
In May, the provincial government announced a state of calamity over Cebu. This will be lifted after six months by November.
As proposed, the status would be extended to June 2016.
When a state of calamity is declared, the local government can tap emergency funds to help affected farmers and fishermen.
DRY CONDITION
As of September, Cebu is experiencing a “dry condition” or two straight months of below-average rainfall, according to the state weather bureau.
This is a lesser impact than a “dry spell” which involves three months of below-average rainfall or a “drought” which covers five months.
Pagasa said a “mature and strong” El Niño is present in the tropical Pacific Ocean and would likely strengthen before the end of the year. It may last until the first half of 2016.
Weather experts said this 2015-16 El Niño is potentially among the four strongest events since 1950.
El Niño is characterized by unusually warm surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It causes typhoons to behave erratically in its cyclone tracks and intensity.
Gov. Hilario Davide III already mentioned his desire to sustain the distribution of assistance for towns affected by El Niño, but the length of the extension has yet to be decided.
CONSERVE WATER
Last May, authorities already estimated that 40 percent of crops in Cebu were affected by the hot weather.
Citing Pagasa, Regner said that now is the right time to conserve water because the heat will intensify in the coming months.
“It’s the rainy season. This is the right time to save water. In the months ahead, grabe na gyud ang kainit,” he said.
Cebu province has P121 million set aside as disaster funds for this year.
Of this amount, 30 percent or P36 million is earmarked for quick response fund (QRF).
The provincial government has used its emergency funds to buy seeds, water pumps, hoses, barrels, food packs and other assistance tools necessary for affected local government units ever since the effects of the dry spell were felt.
Water barrels were distributed to Toledo City and west coast towns of Balamban and Asturias. The provincial government aims to distribute 1,300 barrels to all affected LGUs in Cebu.
With P3 million left in its QRF, the disaster management office may have to drop some of its programs to sustain the distribution of assistance to farmers during an extended dry spell.
For next year, the PDRRMO has proposed a disaster fund of P133 million.
This is P12 million more than the current disaster budget.
In ongoing Capitol budget hearings, PDRRMO, headed by Baltazar Tribunalo, is asking for a budget of P19 million for next year, the bulk of which will be spent for hiring personnel.
The PDRRMO was made a full department by virtue of a Cebu province ordinance, a first under the Davide administration.
During the latest budget hearing, the Capitol budget officer recommended P8.5 million for the PDRRMO as stipulated in the ordinance that created the department.
Cebu is the second province in the country to have set up a permanent disaster office, not just a task force. Albay province in Luzon was the pioneer.
The Cebu office is presently hiring personnel for regular positions.
The provincial agriculture office, on the other hand, has sought a P70-million budget for 2016.
This will cover financial assistance for farmers, especially those affected by the dry spell; the purchase of seeds and storage boxes; the conduct of trainings and other existing programs under the office.
A second series of budget hearings will be held to reevaluate each department’s proposal.
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