MindanaoToday.com | Water rationing in Normin starts
By URIEL QUILINGUING
Bracing with dry conditions due to lack or reduced rainfall over the past three weeks in Northern Mindanao, ushering in the looming El Niño phenomenon, residents in a least five towns in Bukidnon and a barangay in Cagayan de Oro sought the assistance of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for water deliveries.
Since Monday last week, January 8, firetrucks from BFP local stations, carrying about 1,000 gallons of water, would ration water to fill up water containers queued along the road by households whose faucets have been rendered useless. Either there was low pressure or no water at all because water sources had dried up.
In Libona town, Bukidnon, many residents of Barangay Crossing, particularly at Purok 4, had to source water supply from a municipal water system that draws supply from Sigmatan river which is situated over 22 kilometers away. The river is approximately eight kilometers from Barangay Sil-ipon right at the foot of Mount Kitanglad.
Those from Purok 4, Crossing have recently reached the bottom of a deep well which for years served their water needs. There was also water rationing in Barangay Santa Fe of Libona.
The last heavy rain Libona townsfolk experienced was brought by Tropical Storm Kabayan third week of December, according to public school teacher Myrna Inguito Clemen, a resident of Barangay Crossing, whose family has shifted to source their water needs from Sigmatan river.
Even Libona’s neighboring towns of Baungon, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao as well as Kalilangan have been experiencing water supply scarcity. BFP firetrucks had started water-rationing distribution work, though vigilant of calls for assistance in case of fire incidents which have become more frequent lately.
Water rationing in Baungon was held on December 29, 2023 at the Imbatug Public Market, making sure stallholders and vendors get the needed water to keep their goods and surrounding areas clean. Firetrucks also delivered waster to municipal slaughterhouses of Kalilangan and Manolo Fortich towns on December 31.
On Thursday, January 11, a firetruck from BFP Cagayan de Oro brought water to residents of Zone 5, Barangay San Simon in Cagayan de Oro upon the request of Barangay Chairperson Fernando Edrolin. He labelled the activity as CDO-CFO Fire Truck-Powered Water Rationing.
In a Climate Forum which the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) organized on December 20, 2023, Weather Services Assistant Chief Ana Liza Solis presented a six-month forecast of weather conditions under an El Niño episode.
Solis’ presentation showed that Bukidnon, by the end of January 2023, would be under a “dry spell” together with Misamis Oriental (Cagayan de Oro) and Basilan—a weather condition where rainfall would drop from 21 percent to as 60 percent within a three-month period.
Twelve other provinces in Mindanao are experiencing under conditions until the end of this month. These include Camiguin, Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte of Northern Mindanao as well as the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Davao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi. (MT)
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