Vice mayor takes Talisay drainage woes to Facebook

CEBU, Philippines – Residents and marketgoers wading through the flooded Colis Street beside the Tabunok Public Market, the center of trade and transportation, is a common sight in Talisay City.

The drainage in Colis Street, which dates back to the early 80s, is already clogged with many solid materials and plastic waste so much that when there is a slight downpour, water overflows.

Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante took to the popular social networking site Facebook to express the sentiments of Talisay City constituents who are allegedly bothered by the drainage system inconvenience.

Last Monday, Villarante sent a letter to Mayor Johnny De los Reyes stating that his office received complaints about the water that overflows in Tabunok when it rains.

Villarante, a former ally of the mayor, said the present drainage system in the area is defective and non-functional that clogging of rainwater in the area causes a foul smell and makes the road impassable.

“The undersigned respectfully brings this matter to your attention and takes urgent steps to improve the drainage problem in the area,” Villarante said in his letter to the mayor.

City administrator John Yre De los Reyes, however, said the Department of Public Works and Highways-District 2, specifically district engineer Nicomedes Leonor Jr., has already taken actions for this problem.

John Yre said DPWH, which is the implementing agency of the project, is furnishing his office a copy of the Notice of Award dated November 20, 2014 for the rehabilitation of the Colis Street drainage.

The letter also explained that the project was a setback during the holiday season since a closure of a portion of the Tabunok highway for rehabilitation would create heavy traffic congestion.

Yesterday afternoon, John Yre said, the local government intensified the declogging of the canal in Colis Street in order to improve the flow of water and holding capacity of waterways and the drainage systems.