Elementary school compound flooded

CEBU, Philippines - Almost the entire compound of Pooc Elementary School has been in knee-deep floodwater since Wednesday night prompting the principal to seek help from Talisay City officials.

Rodephil Palmitos, principal of the school, said the problem has been that way since she assumed office in 2005, the same problem she inherited from her predecessors.

And like all the other principals before her, she had also sent a letter-request to city hall asking that the problem be addressed.

But as of yesterday afternoon, except for a visit from the city engineering office, nothing has been done yet.

Yesterday morning, the school's playground where the flag ceremony is held was flooded.

It was knee-deep last night but the water had apparently subsided. There were also classrooms that were reached by the flood that teachers and schoolchildren had no choice but to hold classes while their feet were soaked in muddied water.

Apart from this, Palmitos is afraid that the stagnant water, as it takes two to three days for it to finally subside, will become breeding ground for dengue-carrying mosquitoes. The city has already recovered about 137 cases of dengue for this year.

Public information officer Arturo Bas meanwhile said a team from city engineering office could not draw out the floodwater.             Areas surrounding the school were also in the same predicament. Floodwater has to be at least one-meter deep for the city to use its fire trucks to suck it.

The school, according to Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Osmundo Manreal Jr., is in a lowland part of the village that it becomes an immediate outfall for rainwater coming from all directions including that of the neighboring barangay Mohon.

Manreal, who is Pooc's village chief, said an open canal would likely solve the flooding problem.

Bas assured that once the integrated drainage master plan would be implemented, Pooc, being one of those declared to be flood-prone, will be among the priorities.

He said the project is expected to kick off "this year." (FREEMAN)