WHILE there are plans to solve the flooding problem in Cebu City, residents may have to continue to suffer the knee-deep floodwaters in some areas of the locality in the wake of the rainy season.
This, despite the daily manual declogging and desilting in the usually flooded areas.
Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, in an interview on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, said that what is important is that the short-, medium-, and long-term goals have already been outlined for the flood problems of the City as the different departments are always working.
However, he still needs to ensure that the machines for declogging and desilting, as short-term measures, will work.
“We have tested new machines that can solve the problems of our narrow pathways leading to the narrow rivers,” said Garcia in a mix of Cebuano and English.
In a phone interview on Friday, Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, said that the flooded areas they closely monitored are the Estero de Parian, Manalili St., Colon St., Emall area, Lahug River, Barangay Tinago, T. Padilla St.., Barangay Lorega-San Miguel, Barangay Banilad, and the underpass of Mambaling.
Guardo said that it is the Task Force Gubat sa Baha who handles this monitoring.
Moreover, Guardo said that the machines for declogging and desilting are still in the process of procurement.
In the meantime, Guardo said that manual declogging and desilting are done every day.
“Everyday, nya murespond lang sa unsay murequest nga area (we respond to whoever area will request),” he said.
Gabion dams
For medium to long-term plans, Garcia reiterated his proposal to build gabion dams in the mountain barangays of the city.
“We are already making the master drainage plan, tanan amo ng gibuhat (we are doing everything), this will not bear fruit tomorrow, but hopefully in the next couple of months and the long-term goals in the next couple of years, mabuhat nagyud na nato (these will be done),” he added.
Garcia said that what is also important is the progress made despite his two-and-a-half months of leading the City.
“As I always say, what is important is right now galihok na (it’s already on the move). We are already starting to implement these plans,” said Garcia.
“Two and a half months pa tawon ko uy (I’m still two and a half months serving), I’m not Superman, og pwede pa lang nako na i-blow ang tanan (if only I can blow everything away),” added Garcia.
Garcia said that they are working every week, and he is regularly meeting with Task Force Gubat sa Baha and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
He added that unlike before, the departments meet and will meet again after a month, but still uncertainties happen.
“So, there are milestones that we have to achieve before reaching the goal. If the goal is to reach number 10, at least we’re already starting with one, two and three, maabot ra gyud ni diha (we’ll reach to that point),” said Garcia.
“If I’m no longer in the administration as the mayor, I hope that the next administration will carry out the plans that we have already conceived for the flooding problem,” he added.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach out to Paul Gelasque, head of the Department of Public Services, for a statement on Solid Waste Management, but to no avail. / JPS