BY WEDNESDAY, the Cebu City Government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 will start dredging a portion of Estero Parian along Colon St., to partially address flooding in the downtown area.
City Legal Officer Jerone Castillo revealed the development after he met with DPWH 7 officials last Friday for the project.
Castillo also heads the Colon Revitalization Project formed by Mayor Michael Rama, which seeks to improve the downtown area, particularly Colon St., that usually gets flooded during heavy rains.
For 20 years already, Estero Parian has not been cleaned. The group found the area one of the reasons the downtown easily gets flooded.
Castillo said accumulated silt in the waterway is estimated to have reached 1.5 m. to 2 m. deep.
Some stalls built along the portion of Estero Parian were also transferred to pave the way for the dredging.
“We have to start because the rainy season has started,” he said over a phone interview.
The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC) monitored flooded streets along the downtown area due to the whole day rain.
Councilor Dave Tumulak said the City’s Command and Control System (C3) also monitored ankle-deep flood along M.J Cuenco Ave., Junquera St., Sanciangko St, some areas in Barangay Tinago and Tagunol.
“Tungod kay mohunong-hunong man ang uwan, mo-subside ra dayon ang baha, nya balik na sab kung mo-bundak na ang uwan (Since the rain sometimes stop, the flood subsides, then rises again when the rain resumes),” said Tumulak, who presides over CCDRRMC.
The C3 has not received reports of landslide in the upland areas as well as overflowing rivers.
“We already informed the barangays to be alert and inform our command center in case of any incident in their area,” Tumulak said.