VM Labella: Drought-hit Villages Can Get Water from Fire Hydrants

The 15 mountain barangays (villages) in Cebu City which are experiencing “water crisis” have been allowed to get water from the fire hydrants in Barangay Lahug, this city.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said that the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) has agreed to give free supply of water for barangays having water problem because of the dry season.

But Labella said that he asked for a list of these barangays to avoid a similar incident in the past, in which people took advantage of the situation.

Barangays Babag, Malubog, Pung-ol Sibugay, Lusaran, Guba, Binaliw, Sapangdaku, Buhisan, Busay, Adlaon, Kalunasan, Budlaan, Cambinocot, Sirao, and Pamutan earlier requested for help from the city government because they are already experiencing water problems.

The barangays were clustered to ensure that nobody takes advantage of the free water supply from MCWD.

It is the barangay that distributes the water to the residents.

The water problem in the city and throughout the province is expected to worsen as weather forecasters said that the extremely high temperature caused by the dry spell and its subsequent effects will most likely be felt for the rest of the year.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration-Visayas director Oscar Tabada said that the progressing “weak El Niño” may last until the last quarter.

The hottest that Mactan weather station has so far recorded this year was on Black Saturday at 33.6 degrees.

This is lower than the all-time hottest temperature ever recorded in Cebu last May 31, 2010 which reached 37 degrees.

Halfway through the month, a total of two days rainfall has only been recorded from April’s average of seven days. (PNA) JBP/EB/EDS