Councilor wants plan vs. floods

CEBU, Philippines — In preparation for the looming La Niña phenomenon, Cebu City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover called for concrete solutions to solve flood problems during the rainy season.

In a meeting, yesterday, Alcover said that if only the local government was more committed in its job, there would already be existing solutions to the flood issues in the city.

“Kung seryoso pa unta ang local government nato, duna na untay template kay kining problema sa huwaw (ug) La Niña ga balik-balik naman lang ni. So, duna na unta tay daan nga plano ba nga inig huwaw, mao na ni, (ug) inig tig-uwan, mao na ni. Pero until now, puro lang storya ang akong nadunggan,” Alcover said.

Alcover also said that there should have been dams and water catchments built in the mountains where floods must first be stopped.

“Kanang gitawag nila nga ‘Gubat sa Baha’, ang ako nakita ang unang gubaton nila (kay) kanang tubig sa bukid kay ang tanang baha ari man magsugod sa bukid,” Alcover said.

However, Alcover said that the city cannot expect to stop the flood as the city’s forests are already denuded.

Alcover also suggested that the city must have a Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP), a structure that serves as a reservoir to store rainfall and run-off water for future use, which he saw when he visited Bukidnon.

He also brought up the lack of implementation of City Ordinance 2103, particularly the installation of water catchments in the buildings in the city.

The said ordinance is also known as the Rainwater Conservation Ordinance of the City of Cebu, which was approved in 2006 for the implementation of water conservation practices in the city.

In the Section 8 of the ordinance, it says that rainwater catchments are required to be put up in all establishments, including subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, institutional, government offices and projects that cost over ?250,000.

Alcover said that he might deliver a privilege speech to formally address the implementation of the said ordinance which has long been approved but became questionable due to the lack of budget allocations.

He also said he will make a resolution for the Office of the Building Official to inspect for the installation of rainwater catchments in buildings where these are required. — Nicholas Jon Malaga, CNU Intern/BRP (FREEMAN)