Clearing creeks from garbage is Cebu City’s new focus

CEBU, Philippines — After cleaning up the streets, the city government of Cebu has shifted focus on its waterways where it is able to haul an estimated 300 tons of garbage, fallen trees, and debris so far in different areas in the city, Councilor Jerry Guardo said.

Guardo told The Freeman that at first, their focus was the debris and fallen trees.

Along the way, residents also complained of flooding in some areas due to clogging that led to the cleaning up of creeks and other waterways.

Earlier last week, Guardo said, the team including the River Troopers, Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), Probe, Department of Public Services (DPS) Bike Lane, Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO), and barangay officials and workers focused on the T. Padilla Creek which is under the boundary of barangays of Day-as and T. Padilla.

“Human sa upat ka adlaw og kumbati sa mga kawani sa City Hall paglimpyo sa sapa ug basura, makita ng ni dagayday na jud ang tubig sa sapa, mura og naibtan og tunok kay limpyo nang tan-awon,” Guardo said.

Over the weekend, a special Basura Clean-up Storm Task Force also drew out 16 tons of garbage mixed with debris from Typhoon Odette that cascaded through the Guadalupe River down to Pasil area.

Guardo said the clean-up along Pasil is not yet over.

“Sa kilid sa Pasil Fish Port, nahuman halos, naa na lay nabilin gamay but ang diri gyud sa may viaduct sa Pasil area dako pa kaayo. Mga ¼ pa lng gyud,” said Guardo.

Guardo said they are already asking the Department of Public Works and Highways to lend them their amphibious excavator.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama noted the mounds of the garbage when he visited on February 8 in the unfinished Pasil Fish Port in Suba

As the city government continues to clean-up the city, Rama is also expecting the residents to dispose of their garbage properly.

Guardo echoed the call of Rama for all citizens to dispose properly of their garbage and hand these over as scheduled and assigned to garbage collectors from DPS or their respective barangays.

“Nanghinaut mi na di lang pud sila magpatakag panglabay sa ilang basura kay ang basura is one of the contributors gyud na maka clog up sa drainage gyud. Gamay lang gani na basura, mo-clog up na dayon,” said Guardo. — GMR (FREEMAN)