Memorial company set to discuss flooding raised by Lorega residents

CEBU, Philippines – Acting Mayor Michael Rama summoned the officials of a funeral services company that constructed a building in barangay Lorega-San Miguel, this city, which has caused flooding in the area affecting at least 20 families.

Victor Tancinco, vice president for the Visayas operations of Saint Peter Memorial Chapel, said that he and the other company officials are scheduled to meet with the acting mayor this morning to discuss the flooding problem.

Affected families sought the help of city officials through Zapatera barangay councilman Jinggoy Reformina because of the ordeal they went through during the flooding after the said firm started constructing a building in the area months ago.

Although the place is no longer part of Zapatera, Reformina is very active in helping the residents of the place because some of them are voters of their barangay.

The place where the funeral firm is constructing its building is situated near sitio Kawayanan, about 75 meters away from the bridge of Imus Road.

Since the place is situated on low land, the contractor placed filling materials in the area from Imus Road towards the river and constructed concrete wall that surrounds its building.

“Maglunop na diri sa amo-a tungod anang gitukod nila nga koral sa building,” one of the affected residents told The FREEMAN.

Tancinco said that, at present, they could not put up a pipe or place a culvert or come up with the appropriate system that will drain floodwater directly to the river because whenever there is a downpour, water in the river overflows and would only destroy the drainage system.

“Ang sulbad anang problemaha mao ra g’yod ang pagpalawom sa sapa aron nga dili na ni moawas kun duna’y kusog nga uwan, unya mahimo na nga ang among drainage system idiritso namo sa sapa,” Tancinco said.

The City Council had already asked the city engineering department to prepare a program of works and estimates for the installation of dikes at the riverbanks to prevent another spill-out. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)