‘Gubat sa Baha’ actions to intensify next year

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s Task Force (TF) Gubat sa Baha Chairman Roy Cimatu, a soft-spoken, but hard-hitting retired general and ex–environment secretary, has told members of the special task force to continue marching on and finish the war successfully.

Cimatu, in a yearend report of TF-Gubat sa Baha, thanked and congratulated the men and women who devoted themselves to recovering the three-meter easement but reminded them that they have only just begun.

“Let us continue the march – the march to the ground of war to finish Gubat sa Baha and join the leadership of Mayor Mike Rama together with the other government officials in the City of Cebu to hand over our success to other generations, a Singapore-like Cebu City,” said Cimatu.

Cimatu used to be hesitant on mentioning Singapore-like Cebu City as he simply wants to say new Cebu City, but finally appreciated the vision, even telling Rama that he is the only local chief executive that is gearing towards that direction.

To be Singapore-like, the city has to recover the rivers which are also expected to solve the massive flooding in the city.

Cimatu stressed that no establishment owner has the right to build a structure in the rivers and, worse, block its flow.

“Wala silang karapatan na magsarado ng river. Ang river ay pagmamay-ari ng bayan. Hindi ka pwede magpatawo ng building,” Cimatu said.

He added that rivers are being administered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

If establishments will not self-demolish after the deadline set today, then the city government takes over.

Cimatu was also thinking of putting up a billboard with the minor that died under an illegal structure on General Maxilom Avenue back in 2020.

“Naghahanap ako ng picture nya. A reminder, a boy died here because of indifference and non-compliance of environmental law. Hindi na mauulit ito,” Cimatu said.

He can still recall the incident, although his main purpose for being in Cebu at that time was being the Cebu overseer of Covid-19.  He was the DENR Secretary when the incident happened.

The late mayor Edgardo Labella sent out notices to the establishment where the boy was found dead, but the establishments concerned did not come up with any concrete action.

Cimatu said their task may be so challenging as compared to other assignments given to him in the past, but he is positive that they can do it.

“Maaayos natin, pero hindi madali,” he admitted.

Meanwhile, Cimatu’s co-chairman of TF-Gubat sa Baha, lawyer Jerone Castillo, added that their work is expected to intensify next year with the bulk of the 2023 project in relation to their war on flooding.

“We are already gathering traction. We are moving at a fast pace, under the direction of Mayor Mike and leadership of Sec. Cimatu,” Castillo said as reported by the city’s PIO.

Castillo, who is also the mayor’s special assistant on financial matters, said P24 billion of the proposed annual budget is intended for the construction of hundreds of medium-rise buildings (MRBs).

These MRBs will be for the informal settlers that will be displaced in the clearing of the three-meter easement zones of the city’s major rivers.

Another P1 billion is proposed for lot acquisition to have an area for the buildings to be constructed, while P2.3 billion is proposed to cover other activities related to the implementation of the Gubat sa Baha. (FREEMAN)