THE Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and a private consultancy firm to include the effects of flooding on informal settlers in its flood control and drainage master plan study.
During the MCDCB’s fourth quarterly meeting held in Carcar City yesterday, members of the board questioned why the DPWH and Woodfields Engineering Company didn’t include an estimated cost of relocation for illegal settlers that may be affected by drainage and river system improvements.
Andre-Paul Ampong, hydrologist and drainage engineer of Woodfields Engineering Company, sad that at least P33 billion is needed to solve the flooding problem in the entire Metro Cebu.
But the amount excluded the cost for the relocation of informal settlers who may be affected by the project.
Based on the study conducted by the private firm, some major river systems in Metro Cebu that should be prioritized with flood-mitigating measures include the Lahug River, Subangdaku or Mahiga Creek, Tejero River, Kinalumsan River, Bulacao River, Guadalupe River and Tipolo River.
At least P731 million is needed for the improvement of river systems to prevent floods in Cebu and Mandaue cities.
Unregulated water runoff, narrow riverways and drainage problems are still the common reasons flooding in Metro Cebu persists, Ampong said.
Ampong reported that if left unmitigated, some 31.70 kilometers of area in Metro Cebu may be affected by flooding within a 50-year period.
But Ampong point out that while they can determine areas in Metro Cebu that have informal settlers, only the local government units (LGUs) can determine the cost of relocation.
For his part, lawyer Brandon Raya, DPWH 7 chief legal officer, said that one problem why illegal structures are often found in creeks and major river systems is the issuance of a writ of possession secured from the court.
Raya said that they need the help of LGUs in ensuring that major river systems and creeks are not occupied by illegal settlers.