Cebu City needs P50 million for drainage master plan —Cuenco
This 2016 file photo shows dark clouds hanginglow over Metro Cebu, a herald of the ensuing downpour that caused flooding in Cebu City’s main streets. CDN FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City South District Councilor Antonio Cuenco will ask Mayor Edgardo Labella to request for P50 million in the city’s next supplemental budget to solve the city’s flooding problem which include the construction of drainage systems.
In a privilege speechen during a council session on Tuesday, July 9, Cuenco said the rainy session will make it difficult for the city to address heavy flooding and the related problems that it will bring.
In a press conference on July 10, Cuenco told reporters that he will be writing Mayor Labella to include a P50 million allocation in the supplemental budget that the mayor will request in the next few weeks.
The supplemental budget is the additional budget a mayor may request from the city council for appropriations that were not included in the annual budget.
Cuenco said P50 million can build an integrated drainage plan in the city and declog the waterways which have been blocked by silt and garbage.
READ: City Council calls for comprehensive drainage master plan for Cebu
The budget will pay for construction materials, labor and equipment to implement the drainage masterplan.
If the city cannot afford to appropriate such budget, Cuenco said it can opt to loan the amount from other sources such as the Asian Development Bank.
However, Mayor Labella, in earlier statements, said he wants the city to finish paying the debt it incurred from the development of the South Road Properties (SRP).
A positive Cuenco said there are more ways to procure budget for the drainage master plan such as the past sales of the lots in the SRP by the SM-Ayala consortium.
“There are many sources of funds in the city. We can always find the funds,” said Cuenco.
The City Council will be reviewing the drainage plans of the past administration in an executive session on July 23 to identify which of the plans can be used at present. / celr
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