In Barangays in Cebu City: Flood control projects first

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City government will prioritize barangay projects that will address the perennial problem of flooding in the city.

Councilor Jerry Guardo said the city will come up with guidelines that barangays can check before they submit their project proposals to the City Council.

Guardo is the chairman of the Council’s committees on planning and infrastructure.

“We are gonna come up with guidelines in the submission of projects in the barangays.

We will have certain criteria… we will only allow nga masud sa immediate nga mga projects that will help solve flooding,” Guardo told The Freeman.

The projects that will be prioritized include drainage, slope protection, and river improvements.

“Before, walay klaro nga order of prioritization… so bisan lowland, mu-order ka’g evacuation center pero dili gyud necessary, dili maka-help sa problem sa lowland barangays, which is kasagaran flooding,” Guardo said.

Guardo said the Council will also verify if the projects proposed are truly necessary for the proponent barangays.

Exceptions will be given, Guardo said, if the project proposed will address immediate concerns of the barangay – for example, road concreting projects or ‘farm-to-market” roads.

“Sa bukid, kung wala silay concern sa baha didto, ang among i-prioritize would be the farm to market road… ing-ana… and slope protection sa mga landslide,” Guardo said.

Guardo said the city has a 20 percent development fund annually for barangays, which is P400 million to P500 million.

“Karon, kami na gyuy mu-control…without proper prioritization, it will just fall into waste bitaw…dili sad kaayo ma-appreciate sa mga tawo,” Guardo said.

Flooding has long been a problem in Cebu City, especially during a downpour, which often disrupts traffic, leaves commuters stranded, and damages properties.

Mayor Michael Rama has said that envisioning a Singapore-like city would need to have the problem addressed up front.

The city has plans, including the establishment of water impounding lagoons, but Guardo said the barangays would need to be aligned with these plans.

Meanwhile, Guardo said he would welcome fellow Councilor Nestor Archival and other experts to the Project Reduce Danger Zones (ReDZ) that he was recommended to head.

Archival is an engineer and an environmentalist.- JMO (FREEMAN)