P9 million needed for desilting of Tejero creek

CEBU, Philippines - The city government would need P9 million for the desilting of the creek in Barangay Tejero to improve the city’s drainage system in anticipation of continued heavy rainfall in the coming months.

Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, head of the City Council committee on infrastructure, said he will move to include the budget in the next supplemental budget.

Cabarrubias said the desilting of the Guadalupe River, which was allotted the same amount, is yet to be completed, but improvement of the waterways can already be observed.

He said they have already completed excavation at parts of the river under Sanciangko Bridge and Colon Bridge and just waiting for perfect timing to desilt the area passing Forbes Bridge.

The P9 million shall be used to pay for the contractor.

Cabarrubias said it is important to deepen the portion of the Tejero creek starting from the White Gold Club. As an initial step, residents of the barangay will be mobilized to remove surface garbage from the creek.

The City Council has already authorized Cabarrubias’ committee to use P248,300 to defray the expenses of the program. In exchange for their work, residents who will help remove the surface garbage will be given rice and canned goods.

The team will start with Tejero creek and later to Kinasang-an river and Mahiga creek in Mabolo.

Cabarrubias said he already met with the barangay captains of Tejero and Mabolo so that residents living along the creeks can be advised to voluntarily vacate their areas before dredging operations take place. Illegal structures built along creeks are preventing equipment to pass.

Cabarrubias said those who will refuse to vacate the area will have to be forcefully evicted, emphasizing, however, that all actions will be within the law.

Residents living along creeks have long been notified and ordered to remove their structures pursuant to City Ordinance 1481, Presidential Decree 296 and Section 28 of Republic Act 7279.

Cabarrubias said Mayor Michael Rama already issued an order to demolish the illegal structures, but the city is giving the resident extension and time for humanitarian reasons.

Rama also instructed the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) to find a relocation site for residents who have been living there before the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) was passed in 1992.

Those who built their houses after 1992 will not be provided any relocation, but Cabarrubias said the city is willing to assist them in returning to their hometowns.

The city fears that over-generosity will attract more dwellers here. (FREEMAN)