As rainy season arrives: City Hall stepping up anti-flood drive

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia yesterday instructed concerned City Hall departments to intensify efforts in instituting measures address the expected flooding during the rainy season.

He is also tapping the help of national agencies by meeting them this Friday so that measures like desilting and de-clogging can be widely implemented.

“I will do my best together with the other government agencies nga atong ma-control ginagmay ang atong baha. And ako gyud ng gitahasan ang atong (Task Force) Gubat sa Baha, atong gitahasan atong DEPW (Department of Engineering and Public Works), DGS (Department of General Services), DPS (Department of Public Services), nga sila gyud ang…frontliners aning problema sa baha,” he told reporters

“And I told them nga i-double time and ilang mga efforts,” he added.

Last Monday, Garcia met with Task Force officers led by Chief Implementer Melquiades Feliciano, who presented to him their short-term solutions to flooding.

Implementing them is made more imperative with the onset of the rainy season and the looming La Niña phenomenon, which is expected to bring abnormally heavy and frequent rains.

“And he presented to me some of the short-term goals and then they really need a coordination with engineering, the DGS and DPS, for the garbage and DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” Garcia said.

He said coordination is needed, acknowledging that everyone’s help is needed, including that by national agencies, especially that among the identified long-term measures involves water-impounding facilities in the mountains.

He also requested the public to cooperate by not indiscriminately throwing garbage.

“Ang atong mga kaigsoonan should be very careful and always be prepared, ilabi na nga it’s rainy season. And they should also contribute, nga di sila magpataka og labay sa ilang basura bisan asa, kay mao gyud nay maka-clog sa atong drainage,” Garcia said.

He highlighted the fact that the city’s drainage system was established in the 1960s yet.

Also, as reported by the Cebu City PIO, Garcia likewise ordered the fast-tracking of the purchase of de-clogging machines, which the Task Force recommended.

Feliciano explained to the acting mayor the importance of the de-clogging machines to aid the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO); Department of Engineering and Public Works; and the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team in doing cleanups, as there are times that manually doing so is not effective.

He, however, suggested that the city would just rent the equipment, which is faster compared to purchasing them. — Nicholas Jon Malaga/ CNU Intern