CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is considering placing the city’s mountain barangays under a state of calamity following mounting complaints from farmers over collapsing crop prices, rising fuel costs, and the punishing heat of the dry season.
Archival said farmers from upland areas personally went to his residence to seek assistance, prompting him to visit Barangay Paril and nearby communities to assess conditions on the ground.
“Nangadto ang mga farmers sa akong balay unya niduaw ko (nila),” Archival said.
He noted that many farm products are going to waste as farmers struggle to sell them at viable prices.
“No. 1, ang ilang presyo sa ilang pamaliton nagka anam ka gamay. No. 2, ang paghakot mas mahal pa kaysa pagbaligya,” he said.
The mayor said more than a hundred farmer federations could be affected, although he is still awaiting consolidated data from the City Agriculture Department (CAD) and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
“If there is really a need right now, today (yesterday), kun naa tay makuha nga report regarding that, I would like to ask somebody (member of the City Council) to make a privilege speech…aron ma declare nato ang area especially sa mountain nga naa sa state of calamity,” Archival said, noting that such a declaration would unlock emergency funds and allow faster government response.
In the meantime, Archival said he has coordinated with Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña and City Treasurer Emma Villarete to prepare immediate relief measures.
“We will find ways nga makahatag tag certain alibyo sa ilaha. It might be cash, it might be free transport of their produce to the city,” he said.
The city has allocated ₱35 million for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, and Archival said any unused funds may be redirected to assist farmers.
He also cited existing CAD programs that provide free seedlings and fertilizer support, adding that he has requested updates on available funds for farm inputs.
Farmers have likewise appealed for free seedlings, which the mayor said are already included in the city’s agricultural support programs.
To help farmers sell their produce directly, the city is also exploring the revival of “tabo sa barangay” and the possible staging of a “tabo” at City Hall.
“It could be nga magbuhat tag parehas sauna, tabo sa barangay. Ato na ning gi-draw karon together sa CAD, sa agriculture kon unsay pagabuhaton,” Archival said.
He added that free transportation for farmers and their goods is also being considered.
The worsening heat has further aggravated the situation. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has placed Cebu under “extreme caution” heat index levels, with temperatures ranging from 33°C to 41°C. The agency warned that heat indices may reach “danger” levels by late April and persist through May, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses.
While a tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility is being monitored, it is not expected to directly affect Cebu.
For now, the more pressing concern is the sustained heat and dwindling water supply in upland areas.
“Ang mga yuta nag anam nag pangliki didtos bukid, barato kayo ilang abot, ug ang tubig nag-anam na gyud kagamay,” Archival said.
He has directed the CAD and the Disaster Office to identify springs and streams that can be tapped, with plans to install water tanks and pumping stations.
“Ang atong kasapaan, nag-anam na gyud kagamay ang tubig…Ang akong assignment sa atong disaster ug CAD e identify ang areas asa ang mga tubod…Im sure naa na ni silay data, but gusto kog updated,” he said.
Archival explained that upland springs can be utilized through hoses and communal tanks, while lowland sources would require pumping systems.
“Kay kani man gung mga tubod, klase-klase…Naay gikan upstream or ibabaw and there are also actually gikan sa ilawm. It’s easy katong spring nga gikan sa ibabaw kay we only need hose and tangke nga e provide. So magbutang tag common stations…The other one, ang tubig nga naa sa sapa or lowland… kinahanglan pumping,” he said.
The mayor underscored the urgency of intervention, warning that prolonged inaction could force farmers to abandon their livelihoods. With the dry spell intensifying, fuel prices rising, and farmgate prices falling, Cebu City’s agricultural sector faces the risk of deeper losses if immediate measures are not put in place.
| Written by Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/FPL
