City Hall bracing for massive flooding

CEBU, Philippines — To help ensure that the best effort is being exerted to possibly prevent massive flooding before the La Nin?a weather phenomenon arrives, Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia wants a weekly meeting with the Task Force Gubat sa Baha and other concerned agencies.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and even the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project proponents are also expected to be in the meeting, together with other concerned City government offices.

This was after he met the other day Department of Engineering and Public Work’s Engr. Norman del Mar; Task Force Chief Implementer Melquaides Feliciano; Cebu City Transportation Office Assistant Department Head Ken Francisco Jongoy; Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor’s Atty. Ronald Anthony Librando; DPWH’s Engr. Jun dela Cruz; along with representatives from the City Accounting Office, City Budget Office, and the Office of City Councilor Jerry Guardo, DEPW overseer.

In report by the News and Information team, Garcia asked del Mar to explain why the Task Force’s request for the immediate procurement of declogging machines, which are needed in the immediate clearing o drainage and waterways, has not been done yet.

Del Mar is expected to submit his report to AM Garcia as soon as possible.

In the same meeting, Garcia also gave his approval for the City to rent declogging machines, in the meantime that the ones that are meant to be purchased are not yet available, especially since the City’s current sewer inductor truck is already dilapidated.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) Head Harold Alcontin said the are elevating their La Niña watch by also monitoring now landslide-prone areas.

This was after their assessment of Sitio Tarcom, Brgy. Lahug where they implemented the preventive evacuation of residents Monday night because a landslide is affecting 35 houses following a heavy downpour.

“Magbinanatayon sila, wa say mamalik sa ilang panimalay,” Alcontin said.

He said he directed the CCDRRMO Quick Response Team (QRT) and barangay officials to monitor the evacuation centers, especially since the next few days are expected to be rainy.

He said that while soil movement was noted, hence the risk to residents, the city’s engineering department is monitoring the riprap in the area because it could give way and collapse, bringing with it the concerned homes.

“Wa gyud ta kahibaw sa panahon, mabug-atan og samot,” said Alcontin.

Meanwhile, Josephine Aleta, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-7 supervising geologist, said geohazard maps have already been disseminated to local government units as references for disaster risk and hazard preparations, especially with the onset of La Niña.

"Natapos na namin yung 1 is to 10,000 scale geohazard mapping, so we were able to issue yung mga geohazard map sa mga local government units," she ssaid during the Kapihan sa PIA yesterday.

Geohazard mapping aims to “identify areas in the country that are susceptible to different geologic hazards, such as rain-induced landslides and floods.”

The map uses “a color-coded system to indicate levels of susceptibility to landslides and floods, ranging from low to very high susceptibility levels.”

"Yung mapa na binigay namin sa LGU, yun na yung guide nila kung saan pwedeng maglagay ng mga development projects," Aleta said.

In particular, she identified places near active river systems, flood plains, and steep mountains as prone to landslides and floods.

MGB-7 is also in the process of incorporating “Vulnerability and Risk Assessment” in the geohazard map, particularly elements at risk such as population, infrastructure, and the field of areas possibly affected by the hazards.

Aleta said that in urban areas, floods are mostly drainage related so the public should be conscious of this by not throwing their garbage indiscriminately so they, especially plastics, do not clog drainage systems.

She also advised that people should avoid building houses near rivers.

"Sa updating, nakikita namin yan kasi nire-revisit namin yung mga areas so [para] makapagbigay kami ng mga threat advisories or recommendations sa LGU," Aleta said.

Meanwhile, Aleta encouraged the public to be proactive by listening to their respective LGUs and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, prepare foods and clothes in case of evacuation, and listen to radios for announcements and updates.

"Always think of your safety...always put your lives before anything else. Be vigilant," she said.

Cebu City Task Force Gubat sa Baha Chief Implementer Melquiades Feliciano, on the other hand, said that they have already identified areas that are often flooded due to the “lack of infrastructure programs and the disruption of the natural flow of water”.

These frequently flooded areas include the downtown area, Banilad-Talamban area, Pardo-Kinalumsan area, and other areas whose drainage systems need to be cleared.

Feliciano said that the Task Force has also coordinated with local barangay officials in raising public awareness on solid waste management, as well as in the regular garbage cleanup, emphasizing that trash can cause obstruction of rivers, which leads to flooding.

“We also have barangay environmental officers. Ato ni sila gi capacitate for them to implement the ordinances, mga laws regarding solid waste management program…Ang usa pa kay public awareness on solid waste management program. Gi-continuous pod to ni siya kay para atong core constituents mosunod how to properly dispose waste,” Feliciano said.

The Task Force has already identified short-, medium-, and long-term programs to address the expected flooding during the rainy season in the city. They include infrastructure projects, public awareness, and implementation of laws, ordinances, and policies related to flood mitigation.

Feliciano said that the Cebu City Government is now focusing on immediate solutions to flooding as per instructions from Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

“For now, ang gi-focus gyud sa city through the instructions ni Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia (mao) ang mga short-term or immediate programs ang mahatagan og focus,” he told The Freeman.

In this afternoon’s regular session, the City Council set to hear Feliciano give his report on the Task Force’s plans on July 31.

“Ang kinahanglan karon kay immediate (actions) kay atong mga drainage mostly are already clogged…. So, what we need right now is a declogging machine,” he said.

“Amoa ning i follow-up karon (ang) process how to purchase or procure the machines to declog or clear mga drainages, especially priority katung mga frequently flooded areas,” Feliciano added.

When asked about the budget and the implementation of these programs, Feliciano said that it must undergo the first step which is the approval of the City Council and then the process will follow.

“The process is being fast-tracked now para kung mo go na siya (programs) sa City Council, ma-implement na na siya…. To come up with this budget dali nalang siya (because) ang importante katung process (nga) mo-go through siya sa pag-approve sa budget,” Feliciano said.

“This is very important. As far as they are concerned, supportive man sila (city council). It’s just about the process lang but as to the programs and its implementation I’m sure na they will be supportive in all these programs,” he added. — Jonalyn Infante, CNU Nicholas Jon Malaga/RHM (FREEMAN)