Task Force awaits directive of acting mayor

CEBU, Philippines — Despite the preventive suspension imposed on Mayor Mike Rama, Cebu City’s Task Force Gubat sa Baha remains focused with its task of implementing the three-meter easement for the revival of the city’s rivers.

That is if Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia have other priorities.

Retired General Melquiades Feliciano, Task Force chief implementer, said their activities of cleaning and clearing the city’s rivers remain a priority.

“Since this is for the people, I think this will continue,” said Feliciano via the City’s News and Information team, adding that what they are doing is for the Cebuanos’ sake.

He said that with Mayor Rama under preventive suspension, Garcia will succeed him as Task Force chairman so it would be up to him (Garcia) how they would proceed.

Feliciano said that as of the moment, the Task Force is busy clearing the three-meter easement of Estero de Parian since the downtown area is where heavy flooding is in the city.

The other day, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. called on all local government units (LGUs) to brace for La Niña, or the onset of abnormally heavy rain in the country after months of being beset with several months of a dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon.

The La Niña phenomenon usually occurs after the El Niño.

“Mga kababayan, ang buong mundo po ay nahaharap sa matinding pagsubok dulot sa tinatawag na climate change, pagbabago po ng panahon. Extreme weather ang nararanasan natin. Matinding init ngayon at sa mga susunod na buwan naman ay asahan natin ang matindi naman na pag-ulan,” said President Marcos. — (FREEMAN)