Kalinga’s farming families suffer extreme livelihood, food, health insecurities due to El Niño
Farm fields lay barren due to lack of rainfall and extreme heat on May 4, 2024, in Brgy. Santor, Rizal, Kalinga. (Photo: Josephine C. Kusain/CARE Philippines)
Significant portions of the Philippines are experiencing below-normal rainfall levels and above-average temperatures due to El Niño, impacting 59 out of 82 provinces across the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao regions. This extensive drought has adversely affected millions, with severe implications for agriculture and fisheries.
In May, CARE Philippines and its local partner, the Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDIS RDS) conducted a Rapid Humanitarian Assessment (RHA) in Kalinga, one of the drought-stricken provinces in the country. Key local government officials and residents of three severely affected communities in Rizal and Balbalan municipalities were interviewed to particularly determine the drought’s impact on women, men, girls, and boys.
The RHA reports that these communities thrive on farming rice, corn, and vegetables are experiencing livelihood loss and hunger as repercussions of the El Nino. The lack of rainfall has made it impossible to maintain the fields and gardens, resulting in severe food shortages.
In Barangay Santor, Rizal, a farming family’s corn fields lay barren, and the garden withered due to the extreme heat. With the soil cracked and lack of rain, Julie Romero, 49, and her family of eight are left with nothing to harvest or sell. Farm work and other daily labor opportunities have also ceased due to the lack of water to irrigate the fields.
Photo: Julie Romero sits by her home’s kitchen during the interview (JR Paclay/CORDISRDS
With no produce to sell, Julie sells snacks like boiled corn and peanuts at the Bulanao, Tabuk public market. Despite her efforts, her daily earnings were barely enough to meet their basic needs. The meager income supplemented by her husband’s occasional work in construction was insufficient to cover their mounting expenses, especially, those incurred for their children’s education.
Julie shared that they worry for their children if the drought persists in the coming months.
“They eat whatever is on the table. They are used to the hardships of our life. But I am unsure about their education,” she added.
One child already stopped schooling because they could not provide for her school needs.
She also fears for their tenure on the land that they till and rent for 10 cavan or 500 kilos of corn per cropping. With the drought, they asked their landlord to waive their obligation until they could recover from their losses. But Julie is uncertain when they can bounce back from their situation when they lack the funds for land preparation in the coming rainy season.
A family garden in Barangay Santor produces stunted vegetables because of the extreme heat. Photo: Josephine C. Kusain/CARE Philippines
Water sources have started to dry up. Farmers have attempted to use water pumps to save their crops, but the rising cost of gasoline and insufficient water supply have hindered these efforts. The once-reliable supply from the mountain springs has lessened, leaving community members without water at certain times of the day. The only hand pump in the community is shared among the residents and is also at risk of drying up.
An open faucet awaits water from a dwindling mountain spring source (left) and a woman pumps water from the only handpump in the community for domestic use (right) in Barangay Santor, Rizal, Kalinga on May 4, 2024. Photos: Josephine C. Kusain/CARE Philippines
The drought also affected social dynamics in the community. Alex Dalayday, a 52-year-old Barangay Councilor shared that their administration works hard in addressing the increasing domestic disputes and illegal activities caused by the financial stress. The lack of local employment opportunities forced families to borrow money, leading to increasing debts. Couples face heightened stress as they struggle to provide for their families, sometimes leading to conflicts and the search for alternative sources of income. Some individuals have also started engaging in illicit activities to make ends meet.
“We have barangay tanods patrol regularly to ensure safety and implement mechanisms to address violence and harassment,” he added.
However, he fears that the situation will worsen without aid. The barangay council already passed resolutions to request assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). These requests included water pumps and other support measures. However, there has been no response to these resolutions as of the conduct of the RGA.
Access to basic services like healthcare has also become more critical. Marivic Wigan, 34, a Barangay Health Worker (BHW) in Anonang Liwan West, Rizal observed an unusual increase in chickenpox cases, affecting not only children but also adults and seniors, due to the stress and weakened immune systems brought on by the extreme heat and conditions.
CARE Philippines, with its extensive experience in emergency response and long-term recovery efforts, advocates for a comprehensive approach to resilience-building. This includes livelihood diversification, skills training, sustainable agriculture practices, improved water infrastructure and sanitation facilities, and strengthened community health services to handle critical health issues.
