Rehab of rivers, creeks; massive cleanups noted

CEBU, Philippines - In response to the directives of the Regional Development Council-7, local officials in the province of Cebu have conducted massive cleanups and rehabilitation works on rivers and creeks to prevent disasters.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said she noted that after the flooding in Metro Manila, local officials in the province have been taking initiatives to address the problems of rivers and creeks in their respective areas.

Garcia said that the mayors and barangay officials are also urged to join in such massive cleanups and rehabilitation of rivers.

Carmen Mayor Sonia Pua, on the other hand, said she called on residents in the different barangays in her jurisdiction to stop dumping waste into the river.

The river of Luyang in Carmen town is one of those closely monitored by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7.

The other rivers include Butuanon River in Mandaue City, Sapangdaku and Guadalupe in Cebu City, and Cadaruhan in Borbon town.

Members of the RDC-7 are alarmed that a similar disaster could happen in the region because of the reported problems in drainage systems, and clogged creeks and rivers and other waterways.

The report also stated that the major problems with the rivers in the urban areas are the continued dumping of solid wastes into these bodies of water and the proliferation of informal settlers along riverbanks and even on dry riverbeds.

Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon were submerged in floodwaters as an aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy which struck on September 26 of this year.

The floodwaters reportedly did not quickly recede because the rivers, creeks and other waterways were clogged with all sorts of wastes. — Jose P. Sollano/MEEV (FREEMAN NEWS)