For Metro Cebu: Fund hinders flood projects

CEBU, Philippines —  The Regional Development Council-7's Infrastructure Development Committee (RDC-IDC) is proposing to meet with district representatives to discuss possible funding for the Metro Cebu Integrated Flood and Drainage System Master Plan Project.

According to RDC-IDC, a comprehensive study for the master plan has been conducted since 2016 until the present. During that period, the RDC has passed seven resolutions relating to its implementation, considering the urgency of addressing the recurrent flooding problem in Metro Cebu.

The total cost of the project in the master plan was pegged at P44.295 billion but of this amount, only 4.6% or P2,046.51 billion was funded and implemented as of September 2022.

DPWH-7 said that these projects are implementable within 10 years but the limited budget, apart from other issues, is hindering the completion of the project.

RDC-IDC chair Kenneth Cobonpue made the proposal during the IDC’s 4th Quarter Meeting on November 16, 2022, where updates were given on the Metro Cebu Integrated Flood Control project and drainage master plan.

In the same meeting, DPWH Unified Project Management Office-Flood Control Management Cluster (UPMO-FCMC) reported that Subangdaku Cut-off Channel Project already had available funds but this was reverted due to right-of-way issues.

“The project would have helped lessen the impounding of water along M. J. Cuenco Ave., near the Cebu City-Mandaue City boundary,” the RDC-IDC said.

It added that due to the recent flooding, the DPWH UPMO-FCMC wrote to the Central Office requesting for the inclusion of the remaining unfunded projects in the request for Official Development Assistance funding.

Saying that the implementation of flood-control projects is long overdue, Cobonpue, who is also the RDC co-chairperson, suggested the conduct of a forum with the concerned local chief executives and district representatives to have these projects funded and to consider the implementation a priority.

“This requires the congressmen’s cooperation… because the situation is really difficult now. All we can do is keep on proposing projects and endorsing them; the budget (costs of project implementation) keeps on going up every year but these (projects) will never be funded. This needs political will and has to be a concerted effort as the projects cut across several congressional districts,” Cobonpue stressed.

Earlier, the Cebu Provincial Board requested the DPWH, through Secretary Manny Bonoan, to give special focus and attention on the expeditious implementation of the Metro Cebu Integrated Flood and Drainage System Master Plan Project to address severe flooding in Metro Cebu.

PB Member Glenn Anthony Soco, who sponsored a resolution on the said request, cited DPWH’s report that found out that some of the major causes of flooding of Metro Cebu are the overbanking of rivers, natural depression of urban and rural areas, undersized or absence of drainage lines or outlets.

Metro Cebu and the rest of the Province have been experiencing flooding even during occasional rains. It has also been observed that thoroughfares are flooded, which cause major transport issues and danger to lives and properties.

Soco said that there is a pressing need to fast-track the completion of the Integrated Flood and Drainage Plan Master Plan in order to address these concerns.

“May the DPWH facilitate the speedy downloading of the budget appropriated and intended for said plan. This Body earnestly requests that DPWH would promptly look on the expeditious completion of the project which had been planned for several years. Apart from budgetary constraints, the agency is likewise urged to look into other causes in the delay of its implementation and provide for solutions to the same,” read Soco’s resolution.

Meanwhile, other critical infrastructure issues discussed in the RDC-IDC meeting were the Restructuring of the Malinao Dam Improvement Project in Bohol; Transportation Link Study for Central Visayas; and Central Visayas Regional Development Plan Infrastructure Sector Situationer and Subsector Strategy Framework for 2023-2028.

On the Malinao Dam, the IDC recommended that the National Irrigation Administration-7 address the concerns and recommendations relative to the proposed restructuring of the Malinao Dam Improvement Project before the project will be elevated to RDC Full Council for endorsement. – JMD (FREEMAN)