Cebu City OBO’s appeal to barangays: Help identify obstructions in waterways

The Office of the Building Official is asking the city’s barangay chiefs to help in identifying riverside establishments and structures that violate the 3-meter easement policy. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Office of the Building Official (OBO) is appealing to barangay chiefs to help them identify the structures that are obstructing the city’s waterways.

This is part of the intensified efforts of the city to clear its waterways to prevent flash floods during typhoons and heavy rains.

The OBO has been checking all waterways for obstruction and so far they have recorded 206 establishments and households with structures violating the three-meter easement river policy.

The 206 establishments will be called for a meeting to discuss the methods of how the obstructions will be removed.

However, OBO said there are more structures obstructing the waterways that need to be checked and documented. At this point, the barangays can help.

Architect Florante Catalan, the city building official, said that barangays actually have the responsibility to check for the presence of illegal structures in their barangays as per Ordinance 1481.

In the ordinance, the barangays may issue a cease and desist order for a construction that may be deemed illegal or does not have a barangay permit.

Catalan added that the OBO cannot check all nooks and corners in the city, but the barangays may be able to do so since they are more familiar with their territories.

“Mas dali gyod kung ang barangay ang moissue og cease and desist kay if dili motuman ang establishment, diretso na sa City Legal Office, file na dayon og kaso. Kay kung moagi pa sa amoa, daghan na kaayo mig gipanghandle,” said the building official.

(It will be easier if the barangays issue the cease and desist because if the establishment does not follow, the case can be directed immediately to the City Legal Office and charges will be filed. If it goes through us, it will be delayed because we are handling much more cases.)

OBO encourages the barangay chiefs to document these structures and also monitor the construction of structures that do not have permits.

He warned them that they can be held liable for being unable to perform their duty when it comes to stopping these illegal structures as per the Local Government Code and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Catalan hopes that the barangay chiefs would extend their support and assistance to the OBO’s campaign against waterway obstructions. /rcg