THERE are more pressing issues that Cebu City needs to address other than flooding.
This was the bombshell that former environment secretary Roy Cimatu dropped during a press conference on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, after he and Mayor Michael Rama inspected Mahiga Creek, which runs through six barangays in Cebu City and Mandaue City, earlier that day.
Cimatu, who was appointed overseer of the City’s Task Force Gubat sa Baha in 2022, said these issues include concerns related to garbage, the quality of the river’s water, and the presence of unauthorized structures along its banks.
“I’ve been here for one year but only this time that I saw the bigger problem for the City of Cebu. I was hoping that my presence here... is for the flooding, but there are bigger problems aside from flooding,” he said.
He said garbage is a major contributor to the flooding in the city.
“We have to solve the garbage problem. We must be committed to do that,” Cimatu said.
He said people tend to throw their garbage into the river, which is why garbage is seen floating on most if not all waterways in the city.
“There are garbage (in the river) every time. You clean it for one week, the following week nandyan na naman (it’s back),” Cimatu added.
He said the responsibility of the garbage problems lies within the local government unit (LGU).
“In other words, the barangay captain, siya ang may responsibilidad sa (he or she is responsible for the) garbage,” Cimatu said.
He urged barangay captains to react to the problem.
In fact, he said, the problem should serve as a wake-up call for them.
Water quality of the river
Cimatu said it is important to restore the water quality in every river in the city.
He said most of the rivers have high coliform levels due to contamination from various drainage systems.
“Kanina nakita ko yung lumalabas na (mga tubig) na na release na mga (Earlier I saw water released from the) drainage coming from the houses, from the structures going to the river,” Cimatu said.
He said people need to obtain permits before they can dispose of their wastewater from their homes.
He said the presence of contaminated water from houses has led to unpleasant odors in rivers.
Illegal structures
According to Cimatu, at first he thought illegal structures were not really a problem in relation to the three-meter easement zone.
“Akala ko sa Lahug River lang, pero ang dami pa pala (I thought they were concentrated along the Lahug River, but they are everywhere),” Cimatu said.
He said he requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to lead the inspection of rivers where illegal structures are present.
“Balikan nila yung mga nakita namin nga mga buildings. ‘Di ko lang masabi kung ano ang mga building na ito, ipapa-validate ko muna sa DENR,” Cimatu said.
(They should go back and check the buildings. I couldn’t say what the buildings were. I’ll just have the DENR validate them.)
He said that he will require the DENR to submit an inspection report to come with a notice of violation.
He said this report will be sent to the legal department of the City Government, as a basis for the filing of charges.
He said the charges will be under the violation of illegal structures.
“They have to do it. Otherwise, it is very, not only unsanitary, unsafe for flooding,” Cimatu said.