Ermita urges City Hall to promptly build riprap

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of Barangay Ermita, Cebu City are urging the City Government to implement immediately the construction of a seawall in Sitio Pulang Bato, as its absence continues to threaten residents living along the shoreline, some living above the water.

The riprapping project was included in this year’s P1.5-billion Supplemental Budget No. 3 where the city allocated some P2.2 million for its implementation.

Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta said that the budget is available since February this year but they got no update yet as to when it will be implemented.

They have been requesting the City Government for the project since the beginning of the construction of the South Road Properties (SRP) way back in 1990s.

The riprapping comes with their proposal for the implementation of a filling project to cover the entrapped sea water that has become stagnant and polluted after several years.

“The lives of the residents residing along the shoreline of Sitio Bato are endangered as declared by City Health Department…There’s a higher possibility this will cause an epidemic or outbreak,” the officials said.

In order to prevent this, the construction of a seawall is a must in connection with the filling project covering the entrapped polluted sea water – an unpredicted and unattended by-product of the Cebu City SRP project,” officials said in their barangay resolution passed by the barangay council last month.

There are more than 300 families living on dry land within the sitio while about 124 families constructed their houses above the water.

Rupinta said that these people have been there for many years. The barangay tried to control the construction of houses above the water but the number of structures keeps increasing.

“That’s why we are requesting the City Government to fund the filling project. We already have all the necessary permits from the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and all other agencies. We are just waiting for the city government to grant our proposal for funding,” Rupinta said.

He said that Mayor Michael Rama promised him that it will be one of the priorities under the new administration.

They also want to declare the area as a housing site but they were told that they will continue to be denied unless the area will be reclaimed.

Residents are not only in danger of waterborne diseases but also of flash flood, among others. (THE FREEMAN)