Anti-flood body to recover ‘lost lake”

CEBU, Philippines — The Task Force Gubat sa Baha (TFsGB) Cebu City is now on a hunt to recover a “lost lake” that could serve as natural catch basin for rain water to address flooding in the downtown area.

 Charles Villagonzalo, chief of operations for TFsGB, said the supposed lake is now constricted and occupied by informal settlers as well as some business establishments.

An old map dating back from the Spanish era indicates a “potato-shaped lake” connecting to Estero de Parian. It is located where Zulueta Bridge is in Barangay Parian.  

According to Villagonzalo, the presence of Zulueta Bridge in the area made them to start questioning its purpose which eventually led them to do more research and discovered that the bridge was built for people to cross the lake.

The lake used to be a shelter for mariners during typhoon, according to Villagonzalo.

“Based on information during the Spanish time, mao ni ang Estero de Parian, mao ni ang dagat (other end), mutago sila diri (lost lake) sauna during kanang naay mga bagyo-bagyo, mutago sili diri nga lim-aw kay di man kasud ang tubig diri, safe haven nila ni niadto during the Spanish time mga 1500s to maybe early 1900s,” he said.

Villagonzalo said lake began constricting in the early 1900s and eventually lost due to easement violations.  He said the gradual disappearance of the lake is indicated in the maps made by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in 1988, 2011, and 2020.

Villagonzalo explained that the present map of Cebu City which shows the direction of Estero de Parian and the structures around it indicates a “potato shape” contour similar to that of the “lost lake”. He said the area technically belongs to the government since it is previously a lake.

“Actually, anugon kaayo ni, nobody is recovering this, and we are trying to recover this,” said Villagonzalo. He estimated the area to be 20 meters wide.

Villagonzalo said the lake, if recovered by the city government, can help ease the flooding in the downtown area. According to him, this can solve the lack of outlet to drain flood water from T. Padilla.

He said the area can be used to redirect the water from T. Padilla to Estero de Parian to solve flooding. Villagonzalo said that it has been a challenge for them to solve the flooding in the area, especially Bonifacio Street which is instantly flooded every time it rains.

“Why? Because of that (Lost Lake). That is a natural catch basin. Kung ang tubig sauna gitabunan na nimo, di mangita sya og laing kagawsan, so wa na syay laing kagawsan,” said Villagonzalo.

“And based on my understating, this is one of the major cases ngano ang Bonifacio, bisan unsaon nato ana, di gyud mawala, kay this is below the ground already,” he added.

As of now, Villagonzalo said the recovery of the contour is set to be included in their efforts for Phase 2 to mitigate the flooding in the city. Its Phase 1 consists of the clearing of the three-meter easement of the Estero de Parian which is currently ongoing. (CEBU NEWS)