The Cebu City Agriculture Department (CAD) said Friday that 633 farmers and 233.57 hectares of farmland have been affected by drought across 19 upland barangays in the city.
CAD’s consolidated report dated 20 May showed that 5,801 registered farmers were assessed during the initial monitoring, with 633 already partially affected by the lack of rain that disrupted crops, irrigation, and agricultural productivity in upland and rural barangays.
The assessment will serve as the basis for possible government interventions and assistance for affected farming families.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) earlier raised an El Niño alert, warning of a 79 percent probability that the climate phenomenon may develop between June and August 2026 and persist until early 2027.
According to the report, Barangay Tabunan recorded the highest number of affected farmers at 162, followed by Taptap with 74, Cambinocot with 72, and Pung-ol Sibugay with 68.
In terms of crop damage, Barangay Budlaan posted the highest impact at 51.91 percent, followed by Tagbao at 45.59 percent, Tabunan at 42.69 percent, and Agsungot at 42 percent.
The report disclosed that 233.57 hectares of agricultural land were affected out of the 2,856.54 hectares monitored during the initial assessment.
Among the crops heavily affected by the drought were banana, eggplant, string beans, tomato, cucumber, ampalaya, chili, pepper, sweet corn, and ornamental plants such as orchids, gerbera, asters and wonder white flowers.
Banana plantations in Budlaan, Bonbon, Mabini and Sudlon 1 were among those affected, while vegetable-producing areas in Tabunan, Taptap, Guba and Sinsin reported damaged tomatoes, cucumbers and ampalaya crops.
Ornamental plants in Barangays Babag, Budlaan, and Pung-ol Sibugay were also affected by the extreme heat and prolonged dry conditions.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the city government has intensified preparations for the impact of the prolonged dry spell, which may include declaring a state of preparedness and expanding drought mitigation measures.
Possible interventions for affected farmers include cash assistance, free transport of produce, irrigation support, and the revival of the “Tabo sa Barangay” market linkage program to help farmers sell their products directly to urban communities, he added.
Additional reports are still being consolidated from Barangays Adlaon, Lusaran, Sirao, Sudlon 2, Sapangdaku, Buhisan, Binaliw, Busay, and Toong.