Residents beg City Hall: Don’t merge drainage with neighbors’

CEBU, Philippines -  `While most Cebuanos are whining over deficiencies in Cebu City’s drainage system, 90 residents of Barangay Kinasang-an are opposing the integration of drainage structures in their place, believing that it may worsen flooding there.

In a petition letter, the residents pleaded not to link or inter-connect the drainage lines from Barangay Poblacion Pardo to Sitio Abellare, Kinasang-an to avoid heavy flooding.

The letter was addressed to Mayor Michael Rama and sent through Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Chief Davide Tumulak.

“Dili mi gusto nga ang gi-ugmad nga drainage project naa nahimotang sa Sabellano Street nga ipalabang kun isumpay sa among (We do not want drainage being constructed in Sabellano Street to be connected to our) drainage,” read the letter.

The resident feared that if the existing drainage outlet would cross the street and connect with that in Sitio Abellare, the whole sitio would experience flooding, putting their lives at risk.

“Para malikayan ang kadaot ug mga danyos kaming taga Sitio Abellare nag-hangyo kaninyo nga pangitaan ug pamaagi kun asa palutson ang baha nga walay mapwerhisyo nga lumulopyo ilabi na panahon sa kagabhion kay kun dako ang ulan kami nagatukaw para pagbalhin sa mga kagamitan (Us in Sitio Abellara begs that you look for other ways to solve flooding in Sabellano Street without inconveniencing us, because even now we already stay up late if there is heavy rain to be able to keep our things safe from the flood),” added the petition.

They said their problem may worsen because drainage in the area is so narrow that it cannot hold a huge volume of floodwater.

Earlier, the City Council approved 17 drainage projects amounting to P53.3 million that are seen to are seen to mitigate flooding problems in city’s barangays.

The projects include rehabilitation and construction of drainage systems in Barangay Kinasang-an (P1.27 million), Barangay Basak Pardo from Ceres to Tagunol Brigde (P2.92 million), Barangay Paril (P2.5 million), and Barangay Lusaran (P2.4 million).

The budget also includes rehabilitation of existing drainage systems, which include those in Escario Street in Barangay Capitol Site, Barangay Ermita (P1.01 million) and along Col. Cabreros Street in Barangay Basak San Nicolas (P1.92 million). (FREEMAN)