BAGUIO City’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) has put in place a three-year plan to facilitate the city against the El Niño dry phenomenon.
Louie Glenn Lardizabal, OIC of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), said the three-year plan will take a whole-of-society approach from 2023 to 2026.
“We will do a full-blast information campaign. There will be an introduction on the use of technologies, installation of rainwater harvesting and water filtration facilities, shift to the use of solar powered-gadgets and others, which will have a more long-term benefit,” Lardizabal said.
He added that they have set strategic goals to enhance public awareness and preparedness, as well as strengthen water resource management.
The Environment Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) earlier suggested that the city government urge establishments to utilize rainwater to address the water shortage.
“I am from Baguio, I grew up drinking water from the spout and it was safe. We used rainwater for everything- washing, cleaning, doing the laundry and even taking a bath. We can revive that practice so that the water does not go to waste,” Lardizabal said.
The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) reported that the El Niño season starts from July to September this year until the first quarter of 2024.
