Tisa flood-control project unfinished even after 5 years

CEBU, Philippines — A ?60-million flood mitigation project in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, which has remained unfinished even after five years, is the most recent project that Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has flagged.

Yesterday morning, Archival visited the flood control project, particularly a 120-meter drainage system, which was started five years ago and is estimated to have cost around ?60 million.

In his conversation with the engineer, Archival said there are at least 16 sitios around the area where water flows down to the street where the drainage system is being constructed, which oftentimes leads to floods.

“Taga liog (water level), the moment nga mo-ulan, dako kaayo ni nga sakripisyo sa atong mga tawo diri sa lugar diri sa Tisa,” said Archival.

Archival then asked the contractor to fast-track the construction, noting that during the inspection, there were only about four personnel working. He then vowed to check the construction every week, as the contractor had promised to finish the project before Christmas. The project is reportedly 80% complete.

Archival said one of the responsibilities of the contractor is to look for an area where they can dump excavated waste. The contractor raised concerns about this during the inspection.

Since the project is funded by the Cebu City Government, Archival said he ask the contractor in writing to take full responsibility for hauling and dumping the excavated waste, as they cannot demand that the city --particularly the South Road Properties (SRP)-- provide an area for disposal.

The contractor, Engr. Harrison Arante of Arante Construction, vowed to finish the project before December, as directed by the mayor. He admitted that the incessant downpour has been a challenge in completing the project.

“Kung mobaha sya, mobalik zero g’yud mi,” Arante said.

At the beginning of this year, it was reported that only 20 to 30% of infrastructure projects planned over the past two years by the Cebu City Government had been implemented due to delays caused by documentation processes, such as obtaining locational clearances.

This was disclosed by then-Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure of the City Council, hence his call for the government to streamline processes for government-funded projects.

Previously, Councilor Philip Zafra said the council observed several delays in infrastructure projects handled by the Department of Engineering and Public Works.

He cited specific examples, such as the food terminal, which is intended to be a bagsakan center at the SRP, and a drainage system project in Tisa.

Guardo, on the other hand, assessed that one of the factors contributing to the delays was the difficulty in obtaining locational clearances, which are required for Right-of-Way Acquisition from the Cebu City Planning and Development office.

He said for projects such as road concreting with drainage system installations on both sides, locational clearances must be obtained first. — (FREEMAN)