Dumaguete braces for long dry spell

CEBU, Philippines - The Dumaguete City government is preparing itself for the expected long El Niño, forecast from October this year up to nine months onwards, according to City Administrator William Ablong, who is also the City Agriculturist.

Ablong, appeared before the City Council yesterday and submitted the city’s El Niño response plan to mitigate the effects of the long dry spell.

The city’s agricultural lands—covering about 675 hectares and planted to rice, corn and vegetables—are very vulnerable to the dire effects of El Niño, while areas with waterways will also suffer due to projected lowering of the water level, Ablong told the Council.

Under the city’s response plan, Ablong has proposed for diversified farming system by planting legumes and root crops, instead of rice and corn after the first cropping period in 10 barangays (Balugo, Bajumpandan, Banilad, Batinguel, Cadawinonan, Candau-ay, Cantil-e, Camanjac, Junob and Talay) identified as vulnerable areas during hotter and drier days ahead. 

For corn production support, Ablong has proposed the provision of power sprayers to sustain soil moisture and empty plastic barrels for storing water.

Ablong also urged farmers to practice containerized gardening for easy management, develop backyard gardening, and install mulching materials to retain soil moisture, plant early maturing vegetables and short term crops, and apply natural fermented foliar supplements and organic fertilizers.

For livestock production, the city government recommended having empty plastic barrels for water stocking, giving vitamins to animals, put up sheds in open grasslands, and plant forage and drought-resistant grasses for the animals, while putting fire trucks when needed.

For inland fisheries production, Ablong proposed for the establishment of water impounding holes with tarpaulin to hold water. He also suggested to Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria to get P500 million from the city calamity fund to finance the preparations against the El Niño.

The Dumaguete City Water District, for its part, assured the City Council that there is enough supply of water in Dumaguete, and that there is still no cause for alarm even with the impending El Niño.

DCWD general manager Esperatu Dicen disclosed that since 2007 they have been preparing for a possible El Niño occurrence as a result of climate change, prompting it to increase the number of water pumping stations. He said that it was proven back in 1987 when El Nino struck the province.

DCWD has 17 production wells, but Dicen reminded concessionaires that water is exhaustible, thus saving it is also imperative.  (FREEMAN)