An appeal to Cebu City officials

What happened in Mindanao in the wake of Sendong could easily happen to Cebu City. Flash flooding is an imminent danger because of our city’s antiquated and silted drainage and waterways as Mahiga Creek, and the wanton disregard of our hills as shown by heavy tolerance of quarry operations. 

The lower areas of Guadalupe could easily be submerged in meters high flood waters especially that the mountainous areas have been abused by real estate companies as there are only a handful of trees to absorb the excess rain waters. Even though Genvi Corporation has shown efforts in mitigating the effects of heavy rains in the area, the damage has been done. No amount of their corporate money or compliance with the recently imposed conditions of local laws could bring back the lush trees and other vegetation carpeting the mountains of Guadalupe. 

Aside from arable farming or the farming of vegetables, which cannot be denied is an important livelihood of the people living in the mountains, illegal logging is still as rampant as ever and which our own government turns a blind eye on. Bribery, fear of a backlash or lack of political will, whichever of these reasons may it be, the government is digging its own grave and that of its people. 

I appeal to the Mayor of this city to have the balls to seriously take on measures to seal our city from flooding waters. I appeal to the Cebu City Council to think of the city just for once and allow the Mayor’s drainage projects to be implemented by the proper appropriation of funding. When they take away the Mayor’s power and authority, they also take away opportunities in the improvement and protection of the city. 

Without these measures to prevent and mitigate floods, we, the people are exposed to an extremely high possibility of losing everything we have worked hard for —our homes, our families and our own lives. 

I demand that these public officials act now before Mother Nature will claim its revenge.

Sincerely yours,

Maria Clara E. Ricamora

Banawa, Cebu City