Magalong: Preps underway as Baguio braces for El Niño

Magalong slams NTF-ELCAC over pro-communist tag

The local government of Baguio has expedited measures to boost its agricultural capacity and imposed stricter regulations on water conservation in a bid to build resilience against the El Niño phenomenon.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said, “Binuhay namin ‘yung mga harvesting facility namin. Binilisan namin ‘yung repair kasi meron kaming water-harvesting facility.”

(We revived our harvesting facilities. We worked double time on the repairs because we have water-harvesting facilities.)

“At the same time, ‘yung ating mga buildings na pinapatayo dito, required na sila magpatayo ng kanilang rainwater, kuwan na rin, basin,” he added.

(We also required buildings that are being constructed here to include rainwater basins.)

Magalong added that he may also issue a warning to car wash services regarding their water usage.

Weather bureau PAGASA earlier said that up to 56 provinces in April may be affected by the El Niño.

Baguio City is geographically located within Benguet, which was identified as one of the agricultural provinces that would be most affected.

‘Illegal’ deep wells

Magalong said he invited the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) in October to conduct an inventory of the deep wells and sources of water in the city.

“Talagang nire-regulate na namin… Between 900 to 1,000 deep wells, lumalabas na ang regulated lang o kaya ‘yung may permit lang, mga 300 plus lang. The rest are illegal,” Magalong said.

(We will regulate it… Between 900 to 1,000 deep wells, it appeared that only over 300 deep wells are regulated or have permits.)

Due to this, he asked the NWRB to deputize Baguio City so it would have the authority to close down illegal operators.

“Alam niyo ba na because of this over-extraction, nalaman din namin… na based doon sa nakuha naming information, satellite images from our space agency, malaking bagay pala. Nalaman pala namin na every year, may [subsidence] kami na 5 millimeter,” he said.

(Did you know that because of this over-extraction, we found out that… based on the information and satellite images we received from our space agency, it contributed a lot. We found that every year, we have subsidence of 5 millimeters.)

PAGASA earlier said temperatures in Northern Luzon may rise to 40 degrees Celsius during El Niño’s peak.

Its effects were projected to wane towards June, but the state weather bureau remains cautious against the possibility of a prolonged El Niño, which would affect the rainy season in the Philippines. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

This article Magalong: Preps underway as Baguio braces for El Niño was originally published in GMA News Online.