SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
BACOLOD, Philippines – The situation has become dire, prompting private companies to step in and provide potable water to villages in Bacolod and Iloilo, where temperatures are rising and water scarcity is worsening.
The Villar group’s Prime Water, the bulk water supplier in Bacolod, and More Electric and Power Corporation, the electricity distributor in Iloilo of the Razon group, have initiated water rationing operations in the two cities of Western Visayas.
Farah Jenny Monteclaro, Prime Water manager, said on Sunday, April 28, that they set up 24 water storage tanks in a dozen El Niño-hit villages in Bacolod currently suffering from water scarcity. The barangays are Handumanan, Tangub, Mandalagan, Felisa, Vista Alegre, Villamonte, Taculing, Alijis, Sum-ag, Mansilingan, Barangay 40, and Banago.
Each barangay received two water storage tanks, each with a capacity of 2,000 liters.
The villages were identified as those currently experiencing intermittent supply of water due to the El Niño phenomenon, Monteclaro said.
In ramping up water rationing, Monteclaro said they are not just addressing water woes but also fostering partnerships with other concerned groups to improve water services in 61 barangays in Bacolod.
Meanwhile, MORE Power, the sole power distributor in Iloilo City, also distributed free water for washing and bathing to Ilonggo consumers, especially those affected by a 12-hour blackout due to maintenance work on Sunday, April 28.
Aside from water, MORE Power also provided a free charging area using a mobile generator for residents’ gadgets and appliances.
Roel Castro, president of MORE Power, said they have no choice but to continuously innovate to minimize inconvenience for consumers affected by the 12-hour scheduled power interruption.
El Niño put the entire Iloilo City under a state of calamity on April 22 due to a water shortage scenario.
Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas said they will be using more than a P12-million budget just for water procurement and rationing purposes.
Iloilo City is included among 25 local governments in the Western Visayas region now under a state of calamity. These include 18 local governments in Antique province, two each in Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson rejected the call of United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) to place the province under a state of calamity and to buy planes for cloud seeding.
Lacson assured Negrenses that the provincial government has available funds to assist the El Niño-hit farming sector.
Raul Fernandez, chief of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region VI, issued Memorandum No. 25-2024, purposely aimed at activating select response clusters for affected local governments in Western Visayas. –Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.