At least 34 structures in Barangay Mambaling are due for clearing due to the rising river. | Photo Courtesy of Jerry Guardo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The rains in the past week has caused an increase in the number of high-risk areas around riversides and mountainsides in Cebu City.
Councilor Jerry Guardo, the chairperson of the committee on infrastructure in the City Council, said that the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) have already deployed heavy equipment to the affected areas.
One of them is Barangay Buhisan where flash floods have destroyed the riprap walls of the Buhisan River.
Guardo said the DEPW has deployed a team to put up mitigating measures on the destroyed riprap wall lest the area becomes unstable again and cause more destruction.
“Katong nagviral sa Buhisan, gideploy gyod dayon nato ang engineering department. Atong plano is bobuan to nato, isolid nato ang form niya. It will take about two months to complete the project,” said Guardo.
Similarly, the destroyed roads in Barangay Sirao due to the landslides will also need rebuilding and the DEPW has temporarily fixed the roads to make them at least passable.
The cementing and restructuring of the new roads will take time especially with the La Niña and regular daily rains, but the road itself has been cleared and vehicles can pass by safely enough with caution.
In Barangay Mambaling, the city government has declared a portion of the riverside as high risk with the river rising higher and higher, engulfing the banks.
On October 8, 2021, the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team has been tasked to start the implementation of the relocation order for nearby residents and the clearing of the structures.
“High risk na kaayo sila didto. Delikado kaayo sila sa flashflood ba. Naay mga 34 ka structures nga ato nang gihatagan og financial assistance sa city government. For implementation na lang,” said Guardo.
Each household has received P35,000 so they can find a new place to stay while the city government secures the high-risk areas. It is not clear if they can still come back.
Guardo said the multiple floods, landslides, and destruction because of the rain is another wake-up call for the city government to implement the drainage masterplan as soon as possible.
Though the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is already working on simultaneous drainage projects in the city, the implementation of such has not yet caught up with the demand for better drainage in the city.
“We really need better drainage, deeper nga mas maka accommodate og more volume of water,” he said. /rcg
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