Clean up drainage, waterways to prevent flooding —Tumulak

A man collects plastic wastes that clogged the drainage and caused flooding on M. J. Cuenco Street after heavy rains. | CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Stop throwing your garbage on waterways and clean up your surroundings.

He may sound like a broken record but Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, chairman of the Committee on Risk Reduction and Management, reiterated this call as he urged the public to stop throwing their garbage in the waterways to avoid flooding.

He said moderate to heavy rains is expected to pour on Cebu in the next several months and will most likely lead to flooding in the areas where the five river systems in Cebu City are located.

These are Bulacao, Tinago, Tejero, Guadalupe, and Lahug.

Downtown barangays and Colon Street have been flooded the last few days as well.

For Tumulak, the main cause of this problem is the garbage that has been blocking the waterways in the city.

He urged the public to help the city government by declogging their canals and waterways of garbage to prepare for heavy rains.

He said this will help minimize the impact of flooding.

As for the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Tumulak said they are constantly working on information drive to remind the residents near flood-prone areas to be prepared.

Although no evacuation advisories have been issued, the residents living near the riverbanks are reminded to stay away from the three-meter easement.

Three meters is the allowable space between the riverbank and an establishment to ensure safety of the structure and the people during a possible flash flood.

Tumulak said the city government can only help prevent disasters but the public needs to do its share in preventing and helping solve the city’s flood problems. / celr