By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental provincial government prepares for the upcoming dry-spell brought by the El Niño phenomenon, and “tiempo muerto” or the closing of the sugar milling season in the province.

Provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the final feasibility study for the province’s bulk water project may already be done in the first or second week of April.

The local government units which subscribed to the project will have enough supply of water.

“Hopefully, our wells will not be affected by El Niño,” he said.

Diaz said reforestation projects by the national and local government have been implemented in the southern part of the province.

The Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas (SAPA) in the province’s Cauayan town is currently being developed for the next 25 years.

There are also two SAPA applications within the Northern Negros Natural Park as part of the efforts to protect watershed areas.

“We are trying to have more pilot projects for watershed areas,” Diaz said.

Meanwhile, Diaz said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office has already set aside funds for the vulnerable sector in the province and for the upcoming tiempo muerto.

Measures are already planned for stocking of food and non-food items./DGB, WDJ