DPWH-7 starts dredging Tipolo Creek to ease  Mandaue flooding

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) started dredging operations along Tipolo Creek in Mandaue City on Tuesday, August 11, as a short-term measure to address the city’s flooding problem.

The move came after Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano wrote to DPWH-7 last week requesting equipment for the dredging of the creek.

“Usa sa nakita nga immediate solutions is i-dredge ni diri, of course, this is just one of the solutions daghan pa ta og angay buhaton, short-term is kaning pag-dredge,” City Administrator Atty. Gonzalo Malig-on said.

Malig-on said the city government was grateful to DPWH-7 for immediately responding to its request.

The DPWH lent one piece of equipment to the city, which Malig-on said was sufficient for the dredging operations. He added that the equipment started mobilizing on Monday night, August 10.

The dredging activities will cover the stretch of the creek from Barangay Tipolo to Barangay Guizo, Barangay Mantuyong and Barangay Centro.

However, Malig-on said the equipment could not proceed through a portion of Barangay Guizo because of a private structure. He said the city government was formally requesting permission from the property owner to access the area.

“Atong gipananghiran nga anha ta mu-access dihang dapita kung maabot na ta sa (Barangay) Guizo,” said Malig-on.

Tipolo Creek is considered as one of the major factors contributing to flooding in Mandaue City, affecting at least four barangays.

Malig-on said high tide was another factor contributing to flooding, as water from Tipolo Creek can overflow from Barangay Tipolo toward Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong.

He said the situation could improve if the dredging efforts were sustained.

Malig-on said the city government would try to clean the entire stretch of Tipolo Creek, if possible. For now, however, the dredging will focus on areas that can be immediately accessed and are expected to provide relief from flooding.

The dredging work aims to deepen the creek and increase its capacity to accommodate water flow.

“Kung ma dredge na, mudako ang capacity sa sapa nga maagian sa tubig,” said Malig-on.

He said the efforts would eventually restore the creek’s natural waterway, which is currently obstructed by trees, soil and other debris.

“Kung matangtang na siya, mu dako ang capacity sa creek,” said Malig-on.

Aside from the equipment, DPWH personnel were also deployed to assist in the operations. The city government, meanwhile, is providing fuel for the equipment.

Mandaue City experienced heavy flooding on July 30, including in Barangay Guizo, where students of Mayor A.S. Fortuna Elementary School were affected and had to be rescued using rubber boats.

Malig-on said Tipolo Creek overflowed due to heavy siltation, compounded by high tide.

He said the three short-term measures identified to provide immediate relief to residents were the dredging activities, the provision of a pump for the elementary school, and the clearing of the area underneath houses near the creek in Barangay Guizo, where the waterway has narrowed to around 1.5 meters from its original width of about five meters.

“Kutob sa mahimo, nahimo na dayon ang tulo ka immediate nga buhaton,” said Malig-on. — (FREEMAN)