The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is set to lead this week a pre-disaster risk assessment to ensure preparation for the long dry spell as there is a chance that localized thunderstorms may not continue at the height of the El Niño phenomenon, which was projected to start June 2023 and will end in the first months of 2024.
CDRRMO Head Alfredo Baloran, in an interview on Monday, said that they will gather the response clusters – the concerned offices – on Wednesday to conduct a half-day assessment for their preparations. The clusters will be asked about their response preparations to ensure that even with the upcoming dry spell, the food security of the city will be ensured.
He said that joining the pre-disaster risk assessment are the City Agriculturist Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office, in case there will be areas that will face food shortages. The City Engineer’s Office (CEO) was also invited to share engineering measures and to also help the CaGRO.
“[We will check] kung kaning mga areas nga makasinati og drought pwede ba nato siya mapadal-an og tubig, or [iimprove] ang irrigation (We will check if these areas that will be hit by the drought can be sent water or improve their irrigation),” Baloran said.
He said that the results of the pre-disaster assessment will be presented to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, of which the Davao City Water District (DCWD) is a member.
“With this council meeting all the members of the council should know kung unsa pod ang ilang ma-contribute in case masinati gyud nato ang dry spell (With this council meeting all the members of the council should know how to contribute in case we will experience dry spell),” he said.
Baloran underscored that while we are experiencing localized thunderstorms at night the city still needs to be prepared because Pagasa projects that El Niño will last until the first week of next year.
“Dili ta mag expect nga kining localized thunderstorm will continue up to the height of El Niño that is why kailangan nato ang mga preparations (We should not expect that this localized thunderstorms will continue up to the height of the El Niño, that is why we need these preparations),” Baloran said. CIO
