Friday, June 06, 2008 CH ‘underestimated’ drainage problem
BARANGAY Mambaling officials were not negligent in dealing with the flooding of two sitios, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday.
Instead, Osmeña said, it was Cebu City Hall that underestimated the flooding problem there.
Barangay Captain Rodolfo Estella complained about the flooding in Sitios Mangga and delos Reyes as early as last year but City Hall did not give it immediate attention, Osmeña said.
Some 30 huts of informal settlers on businessman Vincent Go’s property in Mambaling are partially submerged in murky floodwaters because of the absence of a drainage system.
The residents blamed barangay officials for not doing anything about the flooding, which they blamed for their illnesses and skin diseases.
At the flooded area yesterday, the Department of Engineering and Public Works personnel continued to pump water from the pond.
“In fairness to the barangay captain, it’s not his fault. He did complain about the problem... The problem was not well appreciated before as it is today, when there are rains. It really clogged up the area so we’re doing something about it now,” Osmeña said.
But he told a news conference that he believes the rift between Estella and Go could have aggravated the problem.
The mayor said the conflict started when Estella got disappointed when the City Government built an access road that connected the Mambaling access road to the South Road Properties (SRP) to Go’s property.
Estella reportedly wanted the access road built on the other side, where his property is located.
“My understanding is that the barangay captain had supplemental motives to have the road on the other side to give him better access to his house... I think it’s selfish because it favors him... But in fairness, it’s not his fault,” said the mayor.
But in a phone interview yesterday, Estella denied Osmeña’s speculations.
He said he has no personal agenda and does not hold any grudge against Go.
Estella said, though, that there is a complaint pending at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which stemmed from Go’s failure to secure a barangay clearance and an environment compliance certificate for the reclamation of his property. (LCR)
