CONCERNED local authorities are going to look into the situation of the Bankerohan Market located in Barangay 5-A after vendors complained about the area's flooded street due to clogged canals.
Some vendors, in an interview, said the drainage had been clogged for more than five days. They said the situation is already affecting their livelihood.
Davao City Economic Enterprise (CEE) head Maribeth Lumactod said her office already tapped the City Engineer's Office (CEO) and Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) to address the problem.
Lumactod said CEE's primary area of concern are the inside perimeter of the market.
"Ang sa streets (na nga dapat), ang Engineer's Office (CEO) na ana nga situation. Kung kami, wala mi equipment for that kay dako na siya nga streets (It's the CEO's job to address the situation of the streets, since we don't have an equipment to address the problem)," she told reporters on Monday at the City Hall of Davao.
Bankerohan is one of the biggest public markets in the city.
Lumactod, in a previous report, said the market needs urgent rehabilitation.
Aside from sanitation complaints, wherein the canals between the fish and market section have been overflowing, she said they wanted to utilize the second floor as a frozen section.
The office denied reports that there have been flooding inside the market, especially in the fish section.
"Na-adress na siya. In fact, naa na gihimo nga side canals para sa atong dagkong bunok sa tubig gikan sa meat section and fish section para didtoa na muagi sa main canal (It's already been addressed. In fact, we constructed side canals in the market, wherein the large volume of water flowing from the meat and fish section will go to the main canal)," Lumactod said.
She said inspectors are daily monitoring the area for vendors disposing their wastes in the canals.
She also said there is a need for declogging of canals along the street.
ASU chief Paul Bermejo, meanwhile, said he already deployed his team to examine the area, in coordination with CEO, for necessary actions to be taken within the week.
"Ato habwaon ang manhole didtoa, then pacheck nato if need siya i-manual rodding. Pero tan-awon nato unsa pwede mahimo para mahubas to didtoa (We will pullout the manhole in the area. Then we will check if there is a need for manual rodding. It would depend on our assessment to address the problem in the area)," Bermejo said.
He said vendors in his office had also been receiving complaints from vendors.
"Gasumbong sila nga wala na daw sila halos halin tungod kay di na sila maadtuan sa mga mamalitay tungod sa baha (They complained that they are almost losing income because people cannot come to their stalls due to the flood)," Bermejo said.
Davao City Assistant Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo said the city government of Davao is taking pre-emptive and not just reactionary steps to mitigate the city's sewerage problem.
Domingo said they are requesting additional funding from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the improvements of the city drainage system.
He also said, previously, that the city is in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for the construction of a waste water treatment facility.
The city official said a feasibility study is currently conducted, which includes the establishment of the sewerage management system.
The lack of the city’s sewerage treatment system was pointed out in Jica’s previous study.