Agusan del Sur is mobilizing calamity funds and preparing longer-term measures as a severe El Niño has damaged more than a third of the province’s agricultural crops and cut water levels in critical watersheds by nearly a third.
The provincial government, municipal officials and civil society groups met Oct. 1 for a two-day El Niño Response Planning Workshop at the Provincial Learning Center in Patin-ay to draw up measures for agriculture, water supply, public health and power stability.
The effort comes after the province was placed under a state of calamity through Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 585-26, based on assessments by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
Prolonged dry spells have damaged or compromised 36.4% of the province’s agricultural commodities, while water reserves in critical watersheds have fallen by an average of 31.4%, according to disaster management assessments.
Nearly all municipalities are now grappling with shortages of potable water.
Securing food and water
With reduced river runoff threatening farm production, provincial agricultural officials are looking at alternative sources of irrigation.
Corazon Escasinas, an agriculturist II at the Provincial Agriculture Office, said the province was monitoring irrigated farms and considering solar-powered water pumps and water impounding projects.
‘One of our response actions for the strong El Niño is to coordinate and monitor irrigated agricultural areas and propose solar-powered water pumps and water impounding projects,’ Escasinas said.
Health officials also warned of a possible rise in waterborne and vector-borne diseases as prolonged shortages force families to use unsafe water sources or store water at home.
Funds, plans through 2027
Provincial planners are considering the use of the local Quick Response Fund (QRF) and additional municipal allocations to finance immediate relief and infrastructure needs.
Contingency plans are also being drawn up through 2027 in case climate anomalies persist and further deplete groundwater reserves.
Rex Linao, executive director of the Foundation for the Development of Agusanons Inc. (FDAI), said nongovernment organizations and community groups would be crucial in identifying communities at risk.
‘We need to capacitate stakeholders and CSOs so they can contribute to addressing the issues and effects of El Niño. This will help us become more proactive,’ Linao said.
‘We already have an action and response plan that can address the issues by sector at the municipal level, and we can also identify where the funding can come from,’ he added.