- A strong El Niño could cut Cebu's water supply into mid-2027
- Capitol has put ₱750 million into quake recovery, and says it is far from done
- Central bank expects September inflation between 6.4% and 7.4%
- SSS and GSIS microloans as a cheaper option than informal lenders
A strong El Niño could cut Cebu's water supply into mid-2027
PAGASA's Visayas office says the El Niño now under way is rated strong and could turn very strong by the end of the year, with effects lasting into the first half of 2027. The Metropolitan Cebu Water District expects to lose about 43 million liters a day from Mananga Dam and the Buhisan River at the worst of it, from December to June. Extra desalination, bulk water and new pumps add about 40 million liters, still short, so rationing is possible in southern Metro Cebu. Rates stay the same.
Carcar gets its water from the Carcar Water District, not MCWD, so the rationing plans above do not apply here directly, but a long dry spell affects water sources across the island. Fix leaking taps, store some water before December, and farmers should plan planting around a long dry season. Watch the Carcar Water District and the city's agriculture office for local advisories.
Capitol has put ₱750 million into quake recovery, and says it is far from done
A year after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in northern Cebu, the provincial government says it has committed about ₱750 million to recovery. The largest pieces are over ₱260 million for temporary classrooms, about 40% finished, and ₱238 million for bridge repairs. The post-disaster assessment puts total recovery needs at ₱19.28 billion across 10 towns and one city, with about 3,000 classrooms damaged. The governor called it a three-year plan. The provincial disaster office has grown from three staff to nearly 100.
Carcar was not among the hardest-hit areas, but the larger provincial disaster office and its new command center are the same ones that would respond to an emergency in the south. With temporary classrooms only about 40% done, some northern schools will stay in makeshift rooms for a while yet.
Sources: The Freeman, SunStar, GMA News
Central bank expects September inflation between 6.4% and 7.4%
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects prices in September to have risen 6.4% to 7.4% from a year earlier, up from 6.1% in August. It points to vegetables, fish, rice and fruit, partly because of the weather, along with higher fuel prices and a weaker peso. Cheaper meat and lower electricity rates should soften it a little. The top of that range would be the highest since March 2023.
Expect market prices for vegetables, fish and rice to stay high. Stores must post the DTI's suggested retail prices for basic goods, so compare before you buy, and report overpricing to the DTI Cebu office.
Sources: SunStar, BusinessWorld
SSS and GSIS microloans as a cheaper option than informal lenders
More than 650,000 workers have taken out government-backed microloans worth over ₱31.7 billion. SSS LoanLite lends private-sector members ₱1,000 to ₱20,000 at 8% a year, repaid over 15 to 90 days, with no employer certification needed; a ₱10,000 loan costs about ₱67 in interest for a month. GSIS Ginhawa Go lends government employees ₱1,000 to ₱50,000 at 6% to 7% a year, for up to 24 months, through the GSIS Touch app. SSS members apply through partner banks, and RCBC is due to start offering LoanLite in October.
If you are short before payday, these cost far less than a 5-6 lender. You need an active SSS or GSIS membership; check your contributions in the My.SSS or GSIS Touch app before applying.
Sources: SunStar, The Freeman
