Rivers, Creeks clearing operations affected families to get cash aid

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama agreed to provide assistance, on a case-to-case basis, to the affected families of the city’s ongoing clearing operations of rivers and creeks

Rama said he is willing to provide humanitarian intervention but could not promise so much to the families to be evicted because it might serve as precedent that would encourage illegal settlers to flock the city’s rivers and creeks in the future.

      Humanitarian intervention may mean a temporary shelter for them for a certain period of time enough for them to find a decent place to stay. The city might also help them go back to their hometown or provide minimal amount as financial assistance.

The informal settlers whose houses are built in danger areas are not priorities for relocation, there are still urban poor families in private and public lots that are queuing for socialized housing opportunities.

      Councilor Jose Daluz III agrees to Rama that informal settlers in danger areas are not entitled with permanent relocation because there was no due process given to the government when they built their houses on the rivers in the first place.

However, Daluz strongly believes that the city government must provide them a reasonable form of assistance by way of providing them temporary shelter or helping them find a place to rent.

Councilor Alvin Dizon also insisted during yesterday’s meeting that the city must provide financial aid in any amount enough for them to start their life anew.

“I suggested to the mayor to strengthen the guidelines aron dili maabusaran,” Dizon said.

Rama said that qualifications for intervention from the city will have to be discussed first. He explained that he cannot commit yet because they have no concrete data yet on the number of families affected. He could not commit until the number of affected families is determined because the city might turn out to be incapable of giving the assistance in the end.

The mayor revisited the stretch of Mahiga River yesterday together with some city officials. The ocular inspection was joined by Councior Roberto Cabarrubias, chairman of the council’s committee on infrastructure, Department of Public Works and Highways, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of Social Welfare Services, Office of the Building Official, Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division, Department of Public Services, Accounting Office, Office of the City Administrator and City Agriculture Office.

Upon inspection, Cabarrubias said that the exit of the Mahiga River needs a floodgate, which would prevent the water from the sea to flow into the river during high tide.

During heavy rains on the other hand, the gate will be opened so the water may escape to the sea. The floodgate will have motor pumps that will pump excess water from the river out to the ocean. It will also have built-in filter to collect the garbage for proper disposal.

The project might cause the city millions but Rama said he is willing to implement it if the city can afford.

Meanwhile, Rama has ordered Prince Court Hotel in Mabolo to correct its culvert which was constructed with 48-inch diameter instead of the ideal 72-inch diameter. David Martinez of the DEPW said that the existing drainage is insufficient after hydrological computation which is one of the causes of flooding in that part in barangay Mabolo. When the hotel built its structure, it affected the original drainage in the area. —(FREEMAN)