City Hall rules cramped creek caused floods

After a thorough technical probe, the city engineer's office concluded that the reduction of the waterway due to the houses built above the Sindulan Creek in barangay Mabolo caused floodwaters to overflow, which destroyed a concrete wall, and drowned six people more than a week ago.

In a report submitted to the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council, the city engineer's office "highly recommended" the relocation of families living directly at the waterway because the volume of water coming upstream will significantly increase during heavy rains.

With these findings, the office is recommending the removal of 960 houses situated above rivers and creeks in the city's south district and 1,693 houses in the north district. These houses are scattered in the different barangays traversed by rivers and creeks.

But with elections just around the corner, Councilor Gerardo Carillo, the action officer of the CCDCC, said it would take a strong political will to implement this recommendation considering that these residents are also voters.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama reportedly said they would give these residents until Friday next week to relocate otherwise they would face demolition.

Because the city does not have an adequate relocation sites, Carillo said the residents might occupy the barangay halls but in the absence of a relocation site, City Hall should shell out P5,000 for every affected family.

The city engineer's office came up with the findings after doing hydrology and drainage analysis. In order to adequately assess its hydraulic capacity, further investigation will also have to be conducted at the Mahiga River. Likewise, tidal fluctuation will have to be considered.

"The reduction of the channel area of the natural waterway at this location has contributed to the overflowing of water after a heavy and continuous rain," the office said.

Carillo said the CCDCC talked to barangay officials yesterday morning and urged them to monitor the waterways in their barangays. Constant monitoring would also ensure that those living near waterways would observe the three-meter easement from the side of the waterway.

Pictures gathered by CCDCC revealed many residents have not observed the three-meter easement. There is even an ongoing construction of a perimeter fence right in the middle of the dry Mahiga Creek that traverses the Ma. Luisa Estate Park.

Among the waterways encroached by houses include those in Tabuan, B. Rodriguez, Don Hill Garcia, Private, and M. Bacalso.

The Coastal Management Board has also formed a task force that would patrol every barangay each time there is a downpour. The unusually heavy rain that poured down dawn of August 31 was equivalent to 4.5 percent of the rainfall that wets Cebu every year, resulted to the death of six people living in an apartment beside the Sindulan Creek.

A 20-meter slab of concrete wall collapsed as floods eroded its foundation, trapping the victims inside the apartment. The victims were identified as Prescilla Balagapo and her children Frealla Ann, Fritzie Joyce and Alfredo; Abigail Balagapo Familiara; and Elsa Gocela.

As to who should be held liable for the incident is something that Carillo said the proper agencies would have to identify. The investigation report will be forwarded to the City Council next week for appropriate action.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has admitted there is no immediate solution to the flooding in the city. - Joeberth M. Ocao