State of calamity looms over Iloilo province due to El Niño

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Iloilo Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Council has recommended placing the entire province of Iloilo under a state of calamity in response to the significant damage caused by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon.

The decision, made during the council’s second quarter meeting at the Casa Real de Iloilo Grand Social Hall on April 29, 2024, aligns with Republic Act No. 10121, also known as the Philippine Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

Chief Cornelio Salinas of the Iloilo PDRRM Office reported that as of April 26, the province has suffered over P1.025 billion in damage to agriculture and fisheries, affecting 17,875.09 hectares of farmland and 88,764 farmers and fisherfolk.

The breakdown of the damage includes P653.106 million in rice production losses, P219.192 million in corn damage, P136.606 million in high-value crop damage, P16.562 million in fisheries losses, and P196,552 in damage to livestock and poultry.

Furthermore, three municipalities, namely Sara, Estancia, and Bingawan, have already declared their own state of calamity due to the severe drought conditions.

Salinas highlighted that the province met the criteria for the declaration of a state of calamity, including the significant impact on the population and livelihoods.

As per National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Memorandum Order No. 60, Series of 2019, local governments can declare a state of calamity on the recommendation of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, based on the set guidelines.

He outlined that the Iloilo province met the necessary criteria for declaring a state of calamity. The conditions for such a declaration are:

–       At least 15 percent of the affected population, based on scientific projections, require emergency assistance.

–       A minimum of 30 percent of the means of livelihood across the agricultural, business, and industrial sectors are impacted.

–       If two or more municipalities or cities within the province are affected by a disaster, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, upon the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), can declare a state of calamity across the entire province.

Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who presided over the meeting, emphasized the necessity of the declaration to access additional disaster funds for mitigation and quick response measures.

“We can now make a declaration because we have already met the requirements, including the percentage of affected population, the number of affected LGUs, and livelihood. We need this to access more funds for El Niño-adjusted measures,” he said in an interview.

With this declaration, the Iloilo provincial government is expected to mobilize resources and implement emergency response actions to assist those impacted by the prolonged dry spell and its adverse effects on the region’s agriculture industry.

Moreover, PDRRMC also passed a resolution to reprogram the PDRRM trust fund, amounting to ₱215.5 million, to finance several disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) programs.

Consequently, Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon presented the El Niño action plan for the health cluster.

The plan includes providing water testing kits and chlorine granules to the 43 local government units (LGUs) in the province for water disinfection, ensuring safe drinking water. Additionally, compliance with safety and sanitation standards at water refilling stations will be closely monitored.

Medicines and other medical supplies will be also made available to address water-borne diseases, while guidelines for preventing and managing heat-related illnesses like heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke were shared by Dr. Quiñon.