Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama declared a water crisis in the city on April 1, 2024 in a press conference. 

Twenty-eight mountain barangays in Cebu City are placed under a state of calamity because of the ill effects of the El Niño phenomenon. As of posting time, however, the list of affected upland barangays has not yet been released.

Water containers continue to line up at the roadside in an interior sitio of Barangay Apas for rationing.

The water containers owned by residents are stationed close to a hose from a water provider. 

Victoria Candule, one of affected residents, said that water flows only in the nighttime. They would stay up late, she said, to be able to have all water containers filled. 

Victoria said she would rinse laundry only twice to conserve water. She would use fabric softener to remove soap suds.

The water used for rinsing is collected for toilet use.

Earlier, the Cebu City Council recommended putting the city under a state of calamity and 28 upland barangays where farmers have suffered from the prevailing weather condition.

Councilor Joel Garganera, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Disaster, showed photographs of depleting water in rivers and caves such as in Sitio Satuhan, Barangay Sudlon Uno; soil cracks and wilting vegetation.

The news team witnessed the predicament of farmers in Sitio Sip-ak, Barangay Sudlon Uno whose crops have wilted to the dry spell.

As of posting time, the City Agriculture has not furnished yet a report on the cost of damages to plants and livestock.

Of the P600-million Quick Response Funds of the city, about P96 million will deal reportedly with the ill effects of hot weather upon the agriculture sector.