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Egay Uy . 

THE move of the city committee on trade and commerce chaired by councilor George Goking is on the right track. This early, he has sounded alarm bells on the possible effects of the dry spell that is forecast to hit at least nine provinces in Mindanao, including Misamis Oriental.

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The dry spell (El Niño) has been seen as causing devastating effects on everybody’s life. In the end, it will be end user – the consumer – that will bear the brunt of it all.

It is not good to wake up one morning confronted by the ill effects of the dry spell and merely absorb the consequences.  As reported in this paper on Monday, the Goking committee will call a meeting of the business and power sectors to see preparations to cushion the impact of El Niño.

For one, the now-limited contribution of the hydro-power generation in Mindanao will become thinner because of an expected lower water elevation in Lake Lanao, the major source of hydro-electric power.  This will consequently push up the cost of power and energy to the end users because more fuel-based power generation will be mixed to the Mindanao grid.

Then there will be concerns about water supply. Will the Cagayan de Oro Water District be ready and prepared to counter the shortage? How will the dry spell affect water-based businesses?

Will the Bureau of Fire Protection be ready to combat hostile fire when and if it happens?  Will its facilities be made available to the barangays to deliver potable water to households?

Will prices of basic necessities and prime commodities not increase considering the expected hike in production and operating costs at the manufacturers’ and distributors’ end?  And when panic-buying sets in, will retailers and wholesalers of these goods not artificially increase prices?  Well that will be for the City Price Coordinating Council and the Department of Trade and Industry to check.

These are but just a few concerns that we must prepare for. Without sounding to be an alarmist, let us all brace for the dry spell.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)

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