CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) is seeking the help of the City Legal Office to hasten the construction of a drainage system in the perennially-flooded Sitio Paradise 3 in Barangay Kinasangan.
In a text message to CDN Digital, Engineer Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez, the head of the DEPW, said there is already a pending drainage project in the area since the previous administration.
The project has been put on hold because the construction of the drainage would hit private properties in Sitio Paradise 3.
Enriquez said there has been opposition to the projects and this halted the construction resulting to a “never-ending” flood in the area.
“Mao ni amo girefer sa city legal nga ang proper drainage line motadlas og private properties. In this case, city legal na mohandle sa situation,” said Enriquez in a text message.
(This is what we referred to the City Legal Office. In this case, the City Legal Office will handle the situation).
The residents in Sitio Paradise 3 have been complaining that the flood in the area has not subsided since the start of the rainy season around November 2019 and has emitted a putrid smell, and causes dengue, and leptospirosis.
The barangay has already purchased a pump to temporarily suck the floodwater out of the area, but on Wednesday afternoon, February 5, 2020, CDN Digital surveyed the place and found floodwater still leg-deep.
A student and a resident of the area, who refused to be named, was chanced upon by CDN Digital said it is difficult to pass by the flooded area because of the smell. He said the flood has been a long-standing problem in the area and the area is only dry during the summer.
He hopes the flood will subside eventually to reduce health risks for the residents.
“Like most of our drainage projects, motadlas gyud ang waterways sa mga private properties. Ug maghiusa lng gyud tang tanan, masulbad ra problema sa baha,” said Enriquez.
(Like most of our drainage projects, waterway projects would usually affect private properties. If we are united, we can solve the flooding problem.) /rcg