15 barangays still experience “water crisis”
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella revealed that the 15 barangays in Cebu City that experienced a “water crisis” last month are still experiencing the problem.
Labella visited the mountain barangays last Saturday to check their conditions.
“I went around sa mga barangays, North and South district, and looked at the water problems. Naglisod gihapon sila karon. At least, the rain helped but we still need more,” Labella said.
On March 24, barangay captains of Babag, Malubog, Pung- ol Sibugay, Lusaran, Guba, Binaliw, Sapangdaku, Buhisan, Busay, Adlaon, Kalunasan, Budlaan, Cambinocot, Sirao and Pamutan went to Labella’s office to ask for help for their water problem, which is attributed to the mild El Niño being experienced right now.
Labella said, however, that there is no reason yet to place these barangays under a state of calamity. He thanked the Bureau of Fire Protection for providing water to some barangays, but it is not enough.
He reminded the City Agriculture Department to distribute water hoses and drums to mitigate the effects of the crisis in these barangays.
CAD earlier said the office of City Councilor David Tumulak, under the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, is distributing water hoses and drums to the barangays. Tumulak is on official trip as of press time. Buhisan Barangay Captain Gremar Barete said his request to the city government for water hoses and drums in 2013 for his barangay was approved the following year but the materials reportedly were not given to his barangay.
“Kon duna lang mi hose ug drum kay makatabang gyod siya sa problema sa tubig sa barangay kay makakuha naman mi og tubig sa DENR nga spring water kon naa na ni,” Barete told The FREEMAN.
Barete said he will follow up on his request this month so that the materials will eventually be given to his barangay.
Meanwhile, Labella said he will suggest to Mayor Michael Rama to push through with the study conducted by Japan International Cooperation Agency to develop the Mananga Dam in Barangay Buot.
“They are making the study and this could be one of the more significant answers to the problem. I have already talked to one of the JICA officials regarding this, and they are interested to develop it,” Labella said.