Flooding blamed on subdivision construction
Construction of a high-end subdivision in the elevated areas of barangay Guadalupe is at risk of being halted if proven that defective works caused yesterday’s flooding in the area following a storm the other night.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he will not hesitate to stop the ongoing construction considering that he already gave strict instructions that ongoing works should not pose any harm on residences downhill.
“Of course that’s automatic… I don’t want to stop development but I’m not going to put the people of the city at risk,” Osmeña said.
Nine houses and 12 families in sitio Dakit, Guadalupe, were left homeless, as limestone-muddied water flowed down the side of the ongoing construction for Monterrazas de Cebu, an upscale residential mountain community sitting atop a string of eight hills.
The ongoing project is a joint venture of estate developers Landco Pacific Corporation and
The affected families have blamed the flood on the limestone-clogged drainage and canals from the alleged defective construction yet Osmeña emphasized that thorough assessment should be made and people should not immediately jump to conclusions.
Osmeña said the city had to stop the development last year until Monterrazas could build adequate “retention ponds” to prevent construction materials from sliding down the site. Monterrazas reportedly heeded the city’s instructions.
“I know that there was diligence on their part when I told them to do it…we have to make an assessment, we cannot jump to conclusions,” Osmeña said.
The mayor admitted he had anticipated the incident to occur that is why he ordered Monterrazas to build its retention ponds properly. However, he did not anticipate that the incident would happen this soon.
“They definitely made a very substantial effort and incurred a very substantial expense…one thing for sure, they have the resources to do corrective measures,” Osmeña said.
Guadalupe barangay captain Eugenio Faelnar said Landco already gave financial assistance of P3,000 to each of the affected families.
The barangay also provided basic necessities to the families who are now temporarily housed in the barangay’s sports complex last night.
The problem, Faelnar said, is that the affected families are reportedly squatters in the area owned by former Cebu Governor Lito Osmeña. Aside from this, Landco Pacific is reportedly on the process of acquiring the property.
In an official statement, Landco Pacific also said the area where the houses are has been identified by the local government as a danger zone where temporary settlements are prohibited.
They also said Monterrazas de Cebu was hit by the storm but due to the construction of four detention ponds, with capacities in excess of city requirements, there were no reports of flooding within its immediate vicinity except for the one reported in Sitio Dakit.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo, action officer of the City Disaster and Coordinating Council, said the city cannot exactly give the affected families a permanent solution considering that they also would not want to transfer to a relocation site.
The best that the city can do, Carillo said, is to help in getting rid of the water and mud that had accumulated in the area from the landslide and flood.
The development of Monterrazas de Cebu, which started last year, spans over 200 hectares and promises a breathtaking view of
And because the subdivision is expected to draw the wealthy, Monterrazas also promises a 24-hour state-of-the-art security that would reportedly include electronically-controlled entry system and integrated walkways. — Joeberth M. Ocao/BRP
- Latest
- Trending
