So much flooding ails the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay. What has caused this? Why is this happening? What are the short-term and long-term solutions?
For one, times have changed.
Cebu city is very congested. People already occupy every nook and corner of the city. Mandaue, a highly urbanized city, is bustling with people. In a few years, Mandaue will be like Cebu. Talisay City is going to follow the path of Mandaue, unless local officials will regulate its development.
In the case of Cebu City, where urban poor families live along rivers and streams, the presence of business establishments also constrict the waterways. Subdivision developers and residents have also blocked the passageways of water, causing flooding.
Population growth in the city is unabated. There’s a need for officials to agree on how to face challenges and stop politicking, so that common problems like flooding can be solved.
The people are tired of such disputes, especially when the mayor decides to clean an area but a councilor immediately takes up the cudgels for occupants of affected houses, who say they have been occupying the place for a long time. Instead of helping these people relocate, this worsens the problem.
Local government officials should have the political will to address flooding. Let us clean and clear our rivers of obstruction, whether humans or buildings.
Let us identify an area to make an artificial river which will catch the rainwater and empty out into the sea, easing the problem of urban flooding.
A comprehensive study by engineers is needed since flooding does not only affect one city.
We should learn our lesson.
The solution to flooding should be left to the experts, and not to politicians, who only worsen the problem.
Just like in the national government. When politicians dip their fingers in an issue such as education or sports, the problem gets worse instead of being solved.
Drastic moves have to be taken to effectively solve or mitigate flooding. Let us allow our engineers to come up with answers. Local governments should attend to contributing factors, such as the illegal settlers along the rivers and the commercial buildings built on top of rivers and streams.
There is a need to work together.
The City Council needs to cooperate with the executive department. The government needs to tap the services of the engineers. Neighboring local government units must act together to address the common problem of flooding.