Cebu’s difficult access to water resources has prompted the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to prepare additional water-delivery equipment, with the agency seeking another P1 billion to buy tanker trucks ahead of the looming El Niño.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the government was preparing to acquire more tankers to help local government units (LGUs) supply communities that may experience water shortages. He identified Cebu as one of the areas expected to face significant challenges.
“Cebu will be hit hard. Kaya ngayon pa lang nag emergency purchase kami ng tanker trucks,” Remulla said in an ambush interview during his visit to Cebu on Thursday, Oct. 15. (“Cebu will be hit hard. That is why we are already making emergency purchases of tanker trucks.”)
The proposed additional funding is expected to come from the Office of the President. Remulla said the DILG was preparing procurement documents, with delivery of the additional units targeted by January, depending on equipment availability.
“As far as the DILG goes, I think we’ll put another P1 billion into buying new tanker trucks,” he said.
The department is also exploring other ways to bring water to communities with limited freshwater access, including the possible use of desalination boats for island municipalities.
Remulla directed local chief executives to identify available water sources, particularly in island communities, so authorities can assess which areas need assistance and determine where to deploy water-delivery equipment. He also urged LGUs to acquire water containers, such as drums, to help households store water delivered by tankers.
Cebu’s limestone terrain adds to the challenge of securing water supplies, Remulla said, as the province’s geological characteristics make water resources difficult to access in some areas.
“Marami tayong hinihiling, hinaharap na hamon, parating ‘yung El Niño. Dito sa Cebu, nahihirapan talaga dahil ang tubig dito ay isa sa pinakamahirap kukunin dahil limestone na ang kinakali ng Cebu,” he said. (“We face many challenges as El Niño approaches. Cebu is having difficulty because water is among the hardest resources to obtain here due to the province’s limestone terrain.”)
Remulla said he had also asked the fire service to provide additional water tankers to help meet the anticipated demand during a water crisis.
The planned procurement is intended to help LGUs continue delivering water when regular supplies become scarce, although Remulla acknowledged that transporting water would raise local governments’ operating costs. He said the effort was meant to assist residents regardless of their political affiliations.
Remulla did not specify how the proposed P1 billion would be divided between tanker trucks and other equipment, how many units the government planned to acquire, or how much funding might go toward the proposed desalination boats.
Photo by Arwin Villaceran
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