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Monday, March 13, 2006
Cebu City to relocate 100 houses along riverbanks
CEBU CITY -- At least 100 houses located along riverbanks in Cebu City will be demolished because City Hall fears of flashfloods and landslides, following the onset of the La Ñina phenomenon.
They would have to be relocated, said City Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the council committee on social services.
Carillo identified houses situated along Kinalumsan River in Barangay Mambaling and along Guadalupe River, which traverses several barangays from Sapangdaku to Suba.
Councilor Edgardo Labella, for his part, wants all development projects in the city monitored to ensure these are safe when heavy rains fall this summer.
Labella said special attention must be given to construction sites in sloped areas and in mountain barangays, "since soil diggings there may pose serious threats to the safety of the public and the environment."
He also wants Office of the Building Official (OBO) to come up with a list of all site developments and subdivision projects, and see if they have permits.
As to the houses that must be demolished, owners will have to volunteer to vacate their homes or the City will be forced to drive them away.
Expecting a "rainy summer" because of La Niña, Carillo said personnel from the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council will be tasked to monitor the rivers.
He said he is also looking into the proposal to redirect the current flow of a river in Busay after quarrying diverted it from its original passage.
Carillo also said houses will be affected so the City has to place ripraps along the riverbanks.
In a proposed resolution, Labella also asked the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to make sure that all construction activities in the city have environmental compliance certificates (ECCs).
Among the other permits required of contractors are the site development permit from the local government unit where the projects is located, as well as commercial or non-commercial hauling permit and basic safety plans.
Contractors also need to secure an ECC from the EMB.
Aside from coming up with a profile of all project sites in the city, the OBO should also design a measure that will involve the barangay officials in their monitoring activities, Labella urged.
Involving the barangay officials would not only hasten the monitoring of construction sites but would also educate them on the requirements for development projects.
"Under these disaster-prone times, the concerned government agencies could hasten its profiling of project sites in the city if it can tap the barangay officials in monitoring construction activities, especially in the far-flung barangays," Labella said.
Concern for the safety of residents along riverbanks and landslide prone areas recently gained attention after a landslide buried alive over 1,000 residents of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte last month.
Massive relief operations were launched with Cebuanos responding by donating cash and goods.
Carillo reported that at least P600,000 that was initially raised for relief items for Leyte will go to a foundation that will be set up for 15 Guinsaugon residents studying in Cebu City.
The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) will take care of any additional amount needed so the foundation could be set up.
Rafi had set aside funds for the relocation of 400 surviving Guinsaugon residents, but since the US Marines already built the structures, Rafi will divert the amount for the students' scholarships.
Owners of the different schools where the students are enrolled have pledged to waive their tuition.
Carillo said those who want to donate any amount can give it to the Cebu City government, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Junior Chamber International, and television network ABS-CBN.
Rafi, he said, will take care of all donations.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in a separate interview, reminded that aside from financial help, the students also need emotional and psychological assistance for them to overcome the trauma of the tragedy.
All the students lost loved ones during the landslide, with at least one left by his lonesome because his parents and siblings all died in Guinsaugon. (RHM of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(March 13, 2006 issue)
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