Summit tackling flooding starts today in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - To create an “ideal” flood mitigating measure, the first inter-city drainage summit will be held today at the ballroom of Elizabeth Hotel along Archbishop Reyes Avenue in Cebu City.

The three urban cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Talisay are expected to create an integrated drainage design on the boundaries of their respective jurisdiction.

Among those invited to the summit were local government officials, engineering professors, contractors, environment authorities, national agencies, technical specialists, and practitioners whose line of work is on flood mitigation and storm drainage systems.

For a productive and comprehensive discussion, participants were encouraged to bring design proposals, presentations and reference materials that may help in the creation of an integrated drainage master plan.

The summit aims to “bring together the best of brains for an in-depth discussion focusing more to create an ideal flood mitigating solution from noteworthy suggestions of the participants, as well as to come up with an integrated drainage design along the boundaries of the three cities.”

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said coming up with an effective and efficient drainage master plan to address perennial flooding in the three cities would be approached using the Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable, and Time-bound principle.

“Kini pagpahibalo nga seryoso kita sa pagsulbad sa problema (This is to show we are serious in solving the problem). There should be unity because more heads are better than one; para naay klarong (so there is a clear) direction and plan of action,” he said. 

In an unrelated development, Cebu City would also hold a “Crime Prevention Summit” on November 13 to 14 at the Cebu Business Hotel.

Themed “Revisiting ‘old hat’ measures against crime prevention,” the two-day event is intended to help address the series of crimes that occurred in the city recently.

“We will come up with an action plan on how to lessen or deter criminalities in the city,” said Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, Police Coordinating and Advisory Council chief, when asked on what the output would be after the summit.

He said the summit would generate a comprehensive analysis, evaluation and assessment of crime prevention efforts in the city.

One of the topics would be on the overall crime and safety situation of the city and would include discussion on the ideal police and stations’ ratio to population. 

Sub-topics would include police mandate, break down of crimes in Cebu City, victim profiles, crime situations, police station mapping, and police programs needing community involvement.

Crime prevention measures, how to protect oneself and one’s property, and how to report a crime would also be presented.

Other topics include how to secure one’s home and belongings, reducing risks of burglary, safety tips while in the street, commuter safety, safety in commercial centers, the drug situation and ill effects of drugs, and the current drug trends.

Around 600 representatives from the academe, law enforcement agencies, and the Association of Barangay Councils will join the PCAC-initiated event.—(FREEMAN)