Last year, I was already anticipating the effect of El Niño. However, it was very difficult to forecast since the symptoms were not present in Sorsogon – it kept on raining until February of 2024 or so. Though, the national news mentioned that some provinces started getting hit as early as late 2023.
Just looking at the news and observing the pattern effect of El Niño, I knew that summer of 2024 will be very different. I was also concerned by our local water supply due to lack of care from the local residents. This was inspired the article about the local community well in the city.
Drought in the 80s
My wife reminded me the drought in the 80s in which the ground was really solid dry. According to my wife, this was early 80s (most likely ’83). It was so bad that the they didn’t plant any rice during that time because the field was rock solid. Instead, the rice field became their play ground.
A couple of my classmates mentioned that their family had to wash their clothes in Cawayan River. Though they emphasized that it helped the fact that there were lots of trees back then. Another classmates shared their livestocks died due to extreme heat in ’83.
I also remember there was a corn field near our house in Brgy. Bibincahan. There was a time it was abandoned due to drought and we used it as a wargame area. In the absence of pellet guns and we wanted realism, we would throw hardened muds to each other. One had to run fast or agile enough to avoid the flying objects. We were gentle enough not to target the faces of each other. I did went home once or twice with bruises in my chest and arms.
Most likely, the heat index was 40C (heat index wasn’t widely used back then) but due to cooler air and lots of trees, we kids didn’t notice how bad the heat was. Also, it was in summer so there was no classes. If it was too hot, one just had to get inside and drink a lot of water or stay in front of the electric fan.
According to DENR study in the 90s, Sorsogon was badly hit by El Niño in 1983 and 1987 resulting to severe drought. The El Niño in 1987 cited its effect in Sorsogon. It was so bad that the said province, together with other affected provinces, was declared a calamity area1.
Summer of 2024 in Sorsogon City
The heat index hovers around 40ish centigrade so far (in May’23, Juban had a 50C heat index), but mostly around 38C. I remember experiencing a 46C heat index abroad for 2 minutes and gave me a headache for the rest of the day. So I am quite conscious staying under the sun these days.
I asked the farmers in the nearby field and they told me that this year is really bad for them. The rice field that didn’t dry up after harvest is now rock solid due to heat. The stream that was waist deep is now below the ankle. I also noticed that the farm workers would go find a shade around 1030ish in the morning to rest from the heat. This is considering they are used to it. This is around May period this year – it just shows how bad the heat is.
Two weeks ago, we burned dried leaves and branches, the fire spread across the area! Good thing that it was surrounded by greeneries. Another time, it spread through the dry vines wrapped around a tall coconut tree. The flash point of the dry leaves are quite low nowadays that forest fire is a risk.
In the news, in anticipation of high heat index, the schools are adjusting accordingly. Good thing that DepEd provided autonomy to schools to decide based on the local temperature.
I did ask around in the local market late April, so far I didn’t hear any gossip about damaged crops. Sitaw’s (Green beans) price actually went down drastically around mid-April because of oversupply. Come late May, one of the vendors in Brgy. Sampaloc shared that veggies are hit by too much hit and the supply has been affected (meaning the price will soon go up).
Water Supply and Rain
Earlier this year, this blog published an article about the local community wells, in which (most likely) the oldest dried up. Sorsogon City is still lucky. From time to time, rain would fall in the evening. It wasn’t enough to water the plant, but enough to cool down the surface.
Except for the perennial issue of water supply from the infamous supplier, there was no new complaints that I heard or encounter in the news. I did chanced in socmed regarding lack of water supply in Brgy. Sampaloc. In Sitio Madanan in Brgy. Bibincahan, one mineral water vendor ran out of water from its deep well; apparently, this is a norm in the last 2 to 3 years according to the employee. And in Brgy. Burabod, one of my relatives complained of very limited water supply in May; even the community well along Gerona Street would also lose its pressure from time to time.
In our barangay, a community pipe maintained by the barangay unit has a hard time maintaining it due to lack of discipline from the users and also lack of budget (they can barely collect 1K in a month). Thus, water is just leaking through all day long. And users don’t care. Worse, they could be very nasty to the barangay officials when water pressure goes down. In early May, I encountered them (barangay officials) looking for leaks and they shared that they got an earful from the local community. In reality, not all households pay the PHP50 monthly users fee. It’s just sad that those who are paying minimal amount for their water supply don’t prioritize the maintenance of their pipes. I won’t be surprised that one generation more, the water supply in this barangay will drop drastically – the writings are on the wall.
The Environment and the Local Society
During our elementary years, teachers taught us that trees protect us in many ways. I think those who continued cutting trees missed these classes. We were discouraged to cut trees, rather, plant more. Apparently some didn’t get the memo.
Nowadays, maintaining trees is an afterthought. Of course, officials parrot about the positive impact of trees, but behind those statements is the dark reality of indifference of the society. Did you notice the century-old Acacia along AH26 in Brgy. Guinlajon? Or the trees in the Sorsogon Capitol? I can barely find a Madre de cacao or Ipil ipil along the streets! During my time, those types were plentiful.
I talked to one farmer and he said that trees are sometimes cut by intruders for fun! These are teens you can’t haul to jail because they are minors. Trees that cover the view or provide shade, instead of pruned, they are cut completely!
I don’t believe this indifference to the environment will change anytime soon. Society react when they are under threat. Right now, our society is in pain, but not struggling. Wait when our society is hit pretty bad, and that’s the time real change will happen. Hopefully it’s not too late.
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Source:
1P19, Philippine Environment in the Eighties, DENR-EMB, 1990
Sorsogon City 