River residents vacate houses

CEBU, Philippines - The six families, whose houses are built within the three meter easement zone of the Butuanon River in barangay Bacayan, have voluntarily vacated the area for their safety.

Last Sunday, four houses were washed away by the flash flood. Fearing that their homes would be next, the six families have moved to an empty lot near a subdivision.

The Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council set up tents and portable comfort rooms in the vacant lot to serve as temporary shelter.

The residents were also told to register with the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor to possibly get a relocation site since they will not be allowed to build structures in the river banks.

Alvin Santillana, Executive Director of the LDRRMC, said that the river doesn’t usually overflow. Last Sunday’s floods were blamed on the filling materials which were dumped by a school, which is building a parking lot.

The filling materials reportedly come from the Maria Montessori International School in barangay San Jose which is developing a parking lot. Santillana said that the barangay already issued a cease and desist order against the school, but the operation was not stopped.

Santillana said that a certain Sismar Eleutero from the Montessori told them that the school was supposed to construct a rip rap wall in the river the reason why they are dumping the filling materials there. The construction was however delayed for some reasons.

Santillana said that the Department of Social Welfare and Services is now assessing the condition of the families affected by the flashflood and assessing their qualification for assistance.

Body Found

The body of a 27-year-old taxi driver, which was swept by flood waters last Sunday in Barangay Bacayan was found yesterday.

The rescue group of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) assisted by other rescue units, found the body in Pilit, Cabancalan, Mandaue city.

Haulers of sand and gravel were the ones who found the body of Edward Clarin, not Edward Mansalay as earlier reported.

The body was retrieved at past 9 a.m.

“Nigawas man ang kamot sa biktima mao tong nakit-an sa mga manugkubay ug bas,” said Pepo Obaob, one of the members of Apas Emergency Response Team (AERT).

Clarin, who is a resident of barangay San Jose, was having drinks with some of his neighbors near the river then he went into the water for a swim.

When the floodwaters came, he wasn’t able to get out quick enough.

State Of Calamity

Bacayan Barangay Captain Amado Borces yesterday told The Freeman that the barangay council already approved the declaration of a state of calamity following the landslide that hit sitio San Antonio.

“Duna na mi resolution sa barangay nag-declarar ug state of calamity para matabangan to nato ang mga naapektohan pamilya,” Borces said.

A total of 47 persons belonging to eight families lost their homes after the landslide last Sunday.

Borces said they are now processing the release of P2,000 financial aid to the eight families.

“Mohangyo pud ta sa City Hall kun unsay ilang matabang pwede siguro ato sila i-relocate ug laing lugar,” Borces added.

Bridge Swept

A bridge connecting two puroks in Barangay Cambinocot, Cebu City was washed away yesterday afternoon.

According to Barangay Cambinocot councilor Reynaldo Lauro, the spillway bridge connecting Puroks 2 and 5 was destroyed at around 1 p.m. due to floods.

Lauro told The Freeman that over 30 houses are currently cut-off from the rest of the barangay following the collapse of the bridge.

He also added that the barangay council had an emergency meeting last night to discuss their plans following the incident.

A resident who asked not to be named told The Freeman that over quarrying of sand and gravel few kilometers upstream increased water flow over the years which led to the destruction of the bridge. 

He further alleged that a barangay has allowed the supposed illegal quarrying activity in the area. The operator of the said quarry is allegedly a relative of a barangay official. —/NLQ - (THE FREEMAN)