Flood-control projects proceed after residents paid to leave area

THE Cebu City government has paid P35,000 each to some 34 households living near a river in Barangay Mambaling as financial assistance after they were asked to vacate the area that is already considered “high risk” for flash floods.

This is according to Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on infrastructure, who also said they deployed Probe (Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement) personnel in the area, on Friday morning, Oct. 8, 2021, to assist identified informal settlers to vacate and clear the area.

“Here in Mambaling, actually, there are very many structures behind Gaisano Mambaling. Settlers are already at very high risk there because the water has risen, so it’s risky for flash floods,” he said in Cebuano Friday.

“They preferred to receive financial assistance. So, it’s now up to them to find their own temporary housing relocation,” he added.

The state weather bureau Pagasa said with the threat of La Niña looming in the fourth quarter of 2021, more rains can be expected.

This also means preparations for flash floods and landslides are needed, especially for an old city like Cebu City.

Guardo said the width of the rivers in the City no longer can accommodate the volume of rainwater, thus the need for the implementation of flood control projects on widening and deepening of rivers.

“Simultaneously (and ongoing), we started from the outfall. Ang bukana sa sapa (the opening of the river), sa dagat (the sea), diha sa (there in) Lahug river, Guadalupe river and Kinalumsan river,” he said.

Guardo explained that their implementation of the project is through the downstream to upstream approach.

Meanwhile, Guardo also said they conducted an ocular inspection last week and deployed City Engineering personnel for the repair and restoration of a damaged riprap wall in Barangay Buhisan.

Sudden heavy rains occurred last Friday, Oct. 1, which caused the Kinalumsan River that traverses Barangays Buhisan, Labangon, Tisa, Punta Prinsesa, and Mambaling, to overflow and cause massive flooding in some areas in Cebu City.

Guardo said they also deployed equipment to make a landslide area in Barangay Sirao temporarily passable. (WBS)