LGUs asked to share cost of master plan

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has committed to create an integrated drainage master plan for the entire Metro Cebu.

However, it wants local government units (LGUs) to come up with counterpart funds for the project to be realized, said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday.

The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7, which is headed by Rama, earlier requested DPWH Manila to work on the drainage master plan to solve Metro Cebu’s recurring problem of flooding.

The RDC 7 had decided to tap DWPH Manila after learning that DPWH 7 lacked the expertise to prepare the master plan.

In his regular news conference yesterday, Rama said the DPWH, through Secretary Rogelio Singson, has committed to work on the project but has asked the LGUs to give a counterpart.

P500T

“Nangayo lang sila ug tabang (They need our help),” he said.

The mayor said he doesn’t know how much the agency is asking, but he said the Cebu City Government is ready to give P500,000. He said the amount may be taken from the allocation in this year’s budget for the creation of master plans like traffic and drainage, among others.

And to prevent the DPWH from spending too much on the project, Rama said the agency will have to use and collate the individual master plan of the LGUs in Metro Cebu as basis for the Metro Cebu drainage master plan.

This was the recommendation of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB).

The MCDCB already requested 13 cities and municipalities to submit their local drainage master plan.

As of last month, only seven LGUs have complied: the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Danao, Naga and Talisay and the municipalities of Cordova and Liloan.

Meanwhile, Rama said he wants the City Traffic Operations Management to tow container vans that the DPWH 7 has parked on the streets because these are causing traffic.

The DPWH 7 was supposed to use the container vans for its road-concreting projects in several areas of the city, but Rama recently suspended its implementation. The mayor said the projects are unnecessary.

The mayor also said he will visit residents who live along M.J. Cuenco Ave. so he’ll know how many houses are affected by the DPWH’s road-widening project in the area.