- GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Eleven of the 19 barangays of Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental are experiencing water shortages, according to Mayor Raymund Tongson.
Tongson said that the extreme heat brought on by the El Niño phenomenon has caused even water in deep wells to dry up.
A total of 18,507 families, composed of 30,825 individuals, are suffering from severe water scarcity, he added.
To address the problem, Tongson said the city government provides drinking water to affected residents and mobile water stations and water filter machine have been set up. Waste water is also being distributed to residents for their laundry needs.
The Himamaylan city government recorded agricultural losses of P2.4 million from 104.95 hectares of partially damaged crops, while the financial assistance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation is being processed
Tongson also reported that affected palay farmers were provided with vegetable seeds.
He added that they are awaiting the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council on whether to declare a state of calamity. | GB
