Labangon, Calamba talk trash

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council asked barangays Labangon and Calamba to submit their respective reports concerning the proper disposal of garbage in their barangay.

This, after both barangays blamed each other for the improper disposal of garbage in sitios that reportedly cause floods during heavy downpour.

City Councilor David Tumulak clarified though that flooding is not the primary concern of both barangays, but the garbage collection.

According to Department of Environment and Natural Resources Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7, barangay Labangon has three sitios that are highly susceptible to floods; Lutaw-lutaw, Labsalex, and Shangrila Subdivision.

Barangay Calamba also has three sitios that also susceptible to floods; Minulida, Paglaum and Upper San Roque.

DENR-MGB-7 said that highly susceptible sitios are not prone to landslide, but susceptibility can be classified through its flood height (one to two meters), its flood duration (more than three days), and landform or geomorphic features (topographic lows such as active and abandoned river channels, and areas along river banks). It can also be highly susceptible to floods if its drainage density is closely-spaced.

Labangon Barangay Captain Victor Buendia earlier submitted a barangay resolution to the city council requesting to arrange a meeting with Calamba Barangay Captain Maria Yvonne Feliciano to discuss the matter.

“Barangay Calamba claims that residents of Barangay Labangon throw their garbage within its jurisdiction while Barangay Labangon claims that residents of Barangay Calamba throw their garbage within its jurisdiction,” the barangay resolution reads.

Buendia said that garbage collectors of his barangay “strongly assert” that residents of Barangay Calamba throw their garbage within the jurisdiction of Barangay Labangon especially during time of collection.

He also said that city garbage collectors collect any time of the day. The city’s schedule is during 4 a.m.

“Since this concern is shared between barangay Labangon and Barangay Calamba, it is best to resolve this issue with the assistance of the city government,” he said.

However, the council just asked the barangays to conduct their own meeting and to provide the council a copy of the minutes of the meeting.

The city government recently declared the city under a state of calamity due to massive floods brought by recent heavy downpour.

With this, massive clean-up drives in rivers and creeks, de-clogging canals, among others will be done by the city government as a short-term solution to this problem.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)