Capitol eyes more water tanks, aid to fisherfolk amid El Niño threat

Local

WATER delivery and fish production are among the priorities of the Cebu Provincial Government as it prepares for the anticipated El Niño, with plans to acquire additional water tankers and expand assistance to fisherfolk.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is set to bid for two 6,000-liter water tankers and four 2,000-liter units to increase the province’s capacity to deliver emergency water supplies to communities facing shortages.

PDRRMO Head Dennis Francis Pastor said the additional vehicles would supplement the provincial government’s existing fleet of three 10,000-liter water trucks, particularly in reaching upland barangays with limited access to water.

To facilitate faster deployment, the PDRRMO has designated Carcar City as the staging area for Southern Cebu and Bogo City for Northern Cebu.

The office is coordinating with local disaster risk reduction and management offices to identify available water sources and determine how supplies can reach vulnerable communities.

“That is what we are preparing, where to source the water, and how to get the water up to the upland barangays,” Pastor said.

The province’s El Niño forecast indicates that dry conditions could begin in December 2026, followed by a dry spell from January to February 2027 and drought in March.

Its vulnerability mapping identified 11 local government units (LGUs) as particularly susceptible to the effects of the weather phenomenon.

Tuburan has the highest number of potentially affected barangays at 36, followed by Daanbantayan and Catmon with 20 each, Carmen with 15, Borbon with 12, Sogod with 11, and Tabuelan and Bogo City with seven each.

Earlier, Pastor identified Asturias, Tabuelan and Tuburan among the municipalities particularly vulnerable to heat and water scarcity based on the Department of Science and Technology’s Project SARAI Central Visayas risk mapping.

He also discussed the province’s cluster-based approach, which groups municipalities in northern, central and southern Cebu to identify available resources and coordinate assistance to neighboring communities.

Pastor emphasized the importance of community-based disaster preparedness, including identifying local water sources and practicing rainwater harvesting.

He noted that even during El Niño, there could still be a 30% to 40% chance of rainfall that households could collect for non-potable use, gardening and agricultural activities.

The provincial government is also preparing for possible heat-related illnesses and disruptions to food access.

It has seven mobile kitchens available for deployment to northern and southern Cebu, while the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office is preparing food supplies.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Agriculture Office is expanding its assistance to fisherfolk through additional payaw, or fish aggregating devices, and marine fish cages to help sustain local fish production.

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Roldan Saragena said the office has distributed 212 payaw this year and is targeting the installation of another 105 units as part of the province’s El Niño preparations.

The devices provide shaded areas underwater where fish can congregate, making them easier for fisherfolk to locate and catch.

Saragena said payaw could help address the effects of rising sea surface temperatures, which may drive fish into deeper waters.

The devices could also reduce fuel consumption and the time fishermen spend searching for fishing grounds.

Based on feedback from beneficiaries, some fisherfolk who previously used around 10 liters of fuel for their fishing activities now consume only two to three liters.

The initiative is also expected to help address Cebu’s reported 67% fish supply shortage by increasing local production and reducing dependence on supplies from neighboring provinces.

In addition, the provincial government has installed 30 high-density polyethylene marine fish cages as part of its continuing efforts to strengthen the fisheries sector and support local food production.(MyTVCebu)