Cabarrubias: Vacate waterway for desilting

CEBU, Philippines -   Residents living along the waterway passing beneath the Basak Pardo-Kinasang-an Bridge were ordered to evacuate within 10 days starting Tuesday last week so the drainage team may start desilting.

The Committee on Infrastructure, headed by councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, upon inspection of the waterways in Cebu City found that waterways are heavily silted which poses danger to residents living nearby.

Areas near rivers and creeks are prone to flash floods during heavy rain because of the high possibility of overflow especially in rivers that are heavily silted.

“Nganung maglunod gyud ta, tungod diay na sa atong water exits. Ang gikan sa bukid na yuta, mudagayday man na sa ubos, nya ang mga yuta mahabilin along the river. So kung dili limpyohan, ang river mag-anam kamabaw. Delikado mag-overflow kung kusog ang ulan,” Cabarrubias said.

He said that the city has prepared for the desilting project and has started in some waterways that are clear of informal settlers.

Heavy equipment needed for desilting in Mahiga creek in Mabolo, Basak Pardo-Kinasang-an Bridge and Guadalupe river could not pass because of the illegal structures in the area.

“So karon, once makuha sila or mabalhin sila, ako nang i-desilt diha aron ang tubig gikan sa babaw, mudiretso na padulong sa dagat, dili na mu-backflow ba” Cabarrubias said.

He said that these illegal structures have been the problem of the city even before during various desilting attempts.

“Naa ta’y equipments pero dili magamit tungod nila. Kailangan na gyud nato i-implement ang balaod kay sila man pud ang maapekatuhan kung naa’y aberya diha, tulubagon pa gyud sila sa city,” he added.

Cabarrubias said that the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor is checking on what to do with the affected residents whom he said are originally from outside the city.

He said that the city will most likely help them go back to their respective provinces.   (FREEMAN NEWS)