Due to flooding in Guadalupe: City stops work on subdivision

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government ordered the developer of Monterrazas de Cebu, a private subdivision being constructed in the upland area, to cease operations until all conditions set for flood mitigation are met.

Mayor Michael Rama issued the Cease and Desist Order last Monday after careful evaluation of the result of the ocular inspection that he, together with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Department of Engineering and Public Works, conducted last Saturday.

This is the second time that work on the development project has been ordered to stop by the city government.

Genvi Pacific Corporation is now prohibited from making any development or earth movement in the 200-hectare area covered by the subdivision.

The suspension, however, may be lifted after compliance with a number of recommendations to mitigate the flooding problem in the eight sitios in Guadalupe that are directly affected by the excess water flowing from the mountains.

The natural waterways were allegedly destroyed when the development of Monterrazas de Cebu started about four years ago.

Due to lack of proper outlet for the water to escape to the drainage system, the water instead flows right to the low ground and cause flooding.

In the CDO issued by Rama, Genvi Pacific Corporation may be allowed to resume operation only after the developer initiate and undertake soil erosion measures within the areas covered by its development.

Genvi Pacific Corporation is also advised to construct more viable water impounding areas in all catchment areas to reduce the volume and velocity of water flowing down the low areas.

There must also be a comprehensive flood mitigating measures in place which may include a massive and regular desilting of settling ponds as well as the creeks and drainage systems.

To compensate those affected by last week’s mud flood, Genvi Pacific Corporation must assist the affected areas and individuals in the rehabilitation of all the damages done.

The city government also required Genvi Pacific Corporation to submit for review or re-evaluation the site development plan to ensure that there are provisions for flood mitigation.

Rama wants to see a comprehensive drainage master plan of the whole Monterrazas project including the connecting areas such as the Southplains Subdivision and Buena Hills Subdivision.

Engineer Joel Reston of the DEPW said that of the total 200 hectares of Monterrazas de Cebu, only 55 hectares for the phase 1 of the project have the development permit.

The project’s development permit was revoked in April 2009 by then Mayor Tomas Osmeña due to the same concern.

The City Planning and Development Office and DEPW then also recommended some flood mitigating measures to be complied to prevent the flooding in the low areas.

In November 2008, the residents in sitio Dakit, the area gravely affected by flooding at the time, were advised to evacuate and move to safer grounds as recommended by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

CPDO monitored the developer’s compliance until October 2009 when Osmeña, then mayor, reinstated the development permit that was first issued to Genvi on November 2011.

In the reinstatement, there was a condition that the city government will conduct regular inspection while the developer is mandated to submit a manual of operation.

But CPDO Project Officer Gemma Camomot said that they were only able to conduct inspection once and the developer did not also submit a manual of operation and regular report after the development permit was reinstated.

   The developer continues operation until a similar flooding problem occurred again last week.

Reston said that they would have to re-evaluate the development plans of Monterrazas to be able to identify where things went out wrong.

 All agencies concerned will also have to meet the mayor soon to decide on how they can intervene for Genvi Pacific Corporation over the drainage system issue.

Alvin Santillana, Executive Director of the disaster management council said that Monterrazas is still negotiating with Southplains Subdivision who continues to refuse to connect the former’s drainage system to the latter. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)