TALISAY CITY, Cebu — Residents of at least six mountain villages in this city are starting to worry following the drying up of wells that have served as their water source for drinking and other needs.

The dry spell seemed to have casted its havoc in the mountain villages of Manipis, Campo 4, Jaclupan, Tapul, Maghaway, and Candulawan after it sipped out waters from the wells.

Manipis village chieftain Joselito Laurente said the said villages are affected by the dry spell brought about the El Niño phenomenon because residents, who are mostly farmers, depend on the waters from the wells and rivers that are now starting to dry out.

Residents of the affected villages have already expressed their worries and asked support from the local government to address the water problem in their areas.

Water rationing could take place in the next few days if the wells and rivers continue to dry out, said a Talisay City official.

The farmers also expressed fears that they could no longer send their children to school this June after the ricefields, where they expect income to be derived for enrolment and other school fees, have withered due to the dry spell.

Earlier, Capitol officials wanted to convene a meeting to map out plans to assist farmers who will be hit hard by crop losses caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Provincial Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong said the board received reports that some farmers resorted to cutting down trees and burning them for charcoal to augment their livelihood.

Maambong sponsored a resolution asking Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to hold a meeting in order to discuss mitigation measures aimed at easing the low crop production due to the expected heat wave.

“We want to know whether we can already activate our calamity funds or is it now time to declare a state of calamity to help our farmers,” Maambong said.

The resolution was referred to the PB agriculture committee for review.

“We are losing our waters and our forest covers, the farmers have no other choice but to cut trees and use them for selling,” Maambong said.