Cebu City to solve Sambag 1 flooding

CEBU, Philippines - The City Engineering Office will connect the old drainage along P. del Rosario Extension to the new drainage to help drain the stagnant floodwaters in Brgy. Sambag 1.

Engr. Kenneth Enriquez of the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) said they already checked the area last Friday and as initial solution, they will put a temporary canal in order to help drain the water.

However, part of their plan in solving the problem is to connect the old, existing drainage to the newly-installed drainage as part of Mayor Michael Rama’s drainage project implementation. With the ongoing drainage integrated program of Cebu City, Rama made sure that drainages will be properly installed.

“As of now, we made a temporary canal in order to help drain the floodwater and so that the flooding will no longer happen we will dig again to cross towards the existing old drainage to be connected to the new drainage,” said Enriquez.

Ankle-deep water persisted in the area for days after a downpour last week, affecting four carenderias and an auto shop.They are expecting that the road in Urgello St. where drainages were installed will be finished on June 24.

Rama, on the other hand, said the drainage project implementation was affected as the proposed P500 million budget was slashed to just P100 million only.

Earlier, Sambag 1 barangay captain Jerry Guardo said that he was surprised with the said flooding because before, after every heavy rain, the water will just drain but now that the drainage on the left part was repaired, it flooded even if it’s no longer raining.

After bringing the problem to the attention of Mayor Rama, the said concern was given priority and he was promised to have the implementation of the solution this week.

Guardo said that as the head of the barangay, he did his part in giving initial solutions to the existing problem.

“Wala man sad ta nagpasagad. Magabhian na ta mahuman sa pagpasuyop and sa among ocular inspection naa pod ko ngadto. But finding the solution for this is beyond our control. (We have not been remiss. We even stay there until evenings just to drain the area and for the ocular inspection, but finding the solution for this is beyond our control),” he said.  (FREEMAN)