DESPITE the Cebu City government's recent efforts to recover creek easements and widen drainage channels, residents of Barangay Day-as continue to experience recurring floods.
The ongoing problem has prompted renewed calls for urgent desilting of waterways.
Barangay Captain Freddie Esmas said in a phone call interview on Thursday, June 26, 2025, that the situation remains critical for communities in Sitios Ulidamin, Tender Heart, and Jester, which are located beside a tributary of the Lahug Creek, regularly overflow during heavy rains.
“Bisan pa og lapad-lapad na kunuhay ang sapa, ang problema, mabaw na kaayo (Even if the creek looks wider now, the problem is it’s already too shallow),” Esmas said, referring to the creek that has become heavily silted.
(Even if the creek looks wider now, the problem is it's already too shallow.)
Cebu City experienced an overnight downpour on Wednesday, June 25, which caused flooding in several downtown barangays, including Day-as.
Esmas explained that during strong rains, garbage from upland areas clogs the creek's outlet near T. Padilla. This blockage prevents water from flowing out, causing it to backflow into interior drainage systems. Despite repeated appeals, desilting remains long overdue.
"The recovered easement helped, yes, but without desilting, the flooding will continue," Esmas added.
To help affected residents, the barangay distributed three kilos of rice to approximately 50 to 60 families. Many of these families could not report to work due to early morning cleanup efforts.
“Dili lang kini problema sa among barangay. Tibuok siyudad nag-atubang pud ani (This isn’t just a problem in our barangay. The whole city is dealing with this),” Esmas said.
Parian Faces Similar Flood Challenges
Residents in nearby Barangay Parian are experiencing similar conditions.
“Ma’am, nibalik sa situation before, walay changes. Daghang lapok ang dalan (Ma’am, it’s back to how it was before—no changes. The roads are full of mud),” said Barangay Captain Lucita Lazarte.
Lazarte explained that Parian's location makes it particularly vulnerable to flooding.
"We are surrounded by rivers from nearby barangays like T. Padilla, Day-as, Mabini, and the Ibarra River. So whether it's light or heavy rain, flooding will really happen because we are located in a low-lying area. We are in a catch basin," she said in a mixed Cebuano and English.
She added that mud and garbage from higher areas often flow down to Parian after heavy rain.
"After the rain and floods, mud enters the area and garbage from higher land areas flows through our place. We have to let the mud dry first because the garbage collectors won't pick it up while it's still wet. Once it's dry, we put everything in sacks, ready for pickup," she said.
Lazarte confirmed they will contact the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) for assistance in clearing canals. Responders and the Barangay Environmental Officer (BEO) will also help clean affected areas.
Other solutions include dredging the river or creek to remove the mud, Lazarte added.
The call for sustained flood control efforts reflects a growing citywide concern as flooding continues to affect multiple barangays across Cebu City. (CDF)