Gullas says DPWH currently working on drainage system to address flooding problems in Talisay

Talisay City, Cebu—Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas is urging the public to be patient as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) continues to work on improving the drainage system that would help address the flooding problems here.

Gullas, in an interview with CDN Digital on Tuesday morning, November 10, 2020, said the city has managed to fix the drainage system in an area where flooding usually occurs, which helps flood water subside faster than before. But without the major drainage system fixed by the DPWH, flooding in some areas still occur. 

“Every time magulan, magpadala dayon tag Akayon Agad team para paglimpyo sa drainage kay mapuno man gyod og basura. Sa pikas side, sa Bulacao River, the drainage is not working. So, I told DPWH nga they have to fix it,” said the mayor. 

(Every time it rains, we immediately send an Aksyon Agad team to clean the drainage because it gets filled with garbage. On the other side, at the Bulacao River, the drainage is not working. So, I told the DPWH to fix it.)

Read: Garbage, silt in drainage causing floods in Talisay City

One of the areas that usually floods is the road between two malls along the highway in Barangay Tabunok. 

A photo taken by CDN Digital after a downpour on late Monday afternoon, November 9, showed flood water between two blocks.  It subsided shortly after the rain stopped.

Gullas said he urged the DPWH to hasten the fixing of the drainage system at the Natalio Bacalso Highway, especially since it is the rainy season. 

The mayor said DPWH is currently working on the drainage and it is expected to be finished by December 2020.

For the meantime, to mitigate the flooding in the area and to keep the people safe during floods, the mayor assured the residents that an Aksyon Agad team will be deployed immediately during a flooding incident. 

/bmjo