Puerto Princesa declares state of calamity due to El Niño

MANILA, Philippines - Puerto Princesa City has been placed under a state of calamity due to El Niño after an emergency session called by the Sangguniang Panglungsod last Friday.

During the emergency session, Task Force El Niño reported its findings to the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The task force reported that an estimated 90 percent of Puerto Princesa’s 66 barangays are experiencing the effects  of drought.

The dry spell has left more than a hundred farmers in the city seeking the city government’s help since they can no longer plant on their land until the rainy season.

Aside from the agricultural land affected, the water level in the Irawan Water Shed in Barangay Irawan was also reported to have reached the third alarm level, according to Puerto Princesa City Water District.

City Information Officer Richard Ligad said the water alarm means the water from the dam in Irawan is no longer sufficient for consumers despite an ongoing water rationing.

Ligad said that, to mitigate the effects of El Niño, the Sangguniang Panlungsod will use P20 million as calamity fund and for the purchase of two lorry trucks as support to the PPCWD in rationing water. The fund will also be utilized to support the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Health department. — Rosette Adel