Mayor Cortes tells Cebu City mayor to check his own ‘violations’ in Mahiga Creek

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes  (PIO PHOTO)

Street flooding is a headache for both Mandaue City and Cebu City during heavy rains.

In a tit for tat, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes yesterday said his city would continue the tough job of removing illegal settlers along Mahiga Creek and finding solutions to flooding, something Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama should focus on doing as well instead of blaming another city.

“I’ve been silent for so long. Enough is enough. Let us stop blaming and pointing fingers at Mandaue City,” Cortes told reporters.

He was stung by Rama’s remarks after the severe flooding episode on Sept. 18 when Rama ordered the removal of footbridges along Mahiga Creek and called them “nuisances” that Mandaue City should act on as soon as possible.

“Those footbridges have been causing a lot of trouble,” said Rama earlier, “because that will only bring in more people by providing access to build and build and build. It’s not supposed to be there. It’s an added obstruction to waterways.”

Cortes returned fire, saying the Cebu City executive should find time to check the Cebu City Slaughterhouse which occupies a lot in Mandaue city but pays no fees to Mandaue.

“If footbridges will be demolished, the footbridge as well of the slaughterhouse should be demolished,” he said.

The Mandaue mayor said the Water Treatment Facility hasn’t been operating for years so waste water, instead of being filtered, flows directly from the slaughterhouse into Mahiga Creek, adding to the siltation.

“I am not angry with Mayor Rama, I am just disappointed with his statements,” said Mayor Cortes.

The 5.2 kilometer creek is an important channel for runoff water from the mountains to drain in the sea, but the trash-filled waterway is heavily silted and has been identified by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways as a high priority for desilting as an anti-flooding measure.

The creek is also a political boundary of the two cities, with illegal settlers occupying both banks.

Accumulated sediment and garbage makes parts of the creek shallow and no longer able to channel storm water to the sea

The mouth of Mahiga Creek has accumulated silt that almost reaches the bridge of Sitio Mahayag.

Cortes recently inspected the Cebu City slaughterhouse with City Treasurer Regal Oliva and City Health Officer Edna Seno, who found out that no fees were being paid, such as Ante and Post-Mortem examination fees. Mandaue hasn’t issued a sanitary permit for the slaughterhouse.

“They have also violated Mandaue. I’ve been silent for so long,” said Cortes.

“The slaughterhouse never paid regulatory fees to Mandaue city since the time I sat as mayor,” he said.

Mayor Cortes, however, said he would keep his word about promising to demolish the footbridges in the Mandaue city side of the river.

“I will never deny that Mandaue is part of the problem but it would be unfair when all blame goes to Mandaue City. He (Rama) has to assess what to do because we are all part of the problem,” Cortes added.

Cortes sat down last Oct. 2 with Cebu City officials led by Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, Cebu City River Management Council Jose Daluz III and City Engineer Jose Marie Poblete when Rama was in Portugal.

Both sides agreed to demolish the footbridges but Mandaue asked for reasonable time to inform settlers on their side of the creek.

Cebu City last month issued notices of violation to ten business establishments hoping to pressure them to spend for major drainage projects, but hasn’t evicted riverbank dwellers.

After Mayor Cortes’ dialog with some Cebu city officials, Mandaue City started last week taking down shanties in sitio Mahayag next to SM Hypermart amid initial resistance from residents.

Clearing work in the area is halfway done, with about 50 concrete houses already removed.

Mandaue’s next step is to proceed to Mahusay in front of sitio Mahayag, where several houses are built within the 3-meter easement.

This is where footbridges are built to give access to residents crossing between Mandaue and Cebu Cities.

Subangdaku barangay captain Ernie Manatad last night held a dialog with sitio Mahusay residents to prepare them for the move.

Residents have to decide whether to accept the city’s offer to relocate to a 6.5 hectare site in barangay Paknaan which has a socialized housing project or to accept a one-time financial assistance of P17,000 cash.

Under the socialized housing program, residents can own a house and lot and pay P1,800 a month as amortization over 25 years.

A group of sitio Mahayag residents tried to see Gov. Hilario Davide III at the Capitol last week hoping to convince him to intercede and stop the demolition.

The Mandaue City Regional Trial Court rejected the association’s bid to get a temporary restraining order.

Mayor Cortes said he hasn’t spoken with Davide about it. Both chief executives belong to the Liberal party.

Comprehensive Drainage Plan

With plans to dredge the mouth of Mahiga Creek a high priority, informal settlers beside the waterway are the target of eviction.

Mandaue City’s low-lying areas become a catch basin of floodwaters during a heavy rain.

After the Sept. 18 flooding that followed six hours of continuous rain, Mayor Cortes lamented that the floodwaters came from Cebu City and pool in Mandaue, despite their recent efforts to replace drainage lines with bigger culverts.

“We can’t solve this overnight, the public should bear with us because we are all doing our best to solve this problem,” he said.

Cortes said he has discussed Mandaue City’s Comprehensive Drainage Plan with the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board, which is pursuing a vision of a well-planned, livable Mega Cebu by 2030.

The construction of gabion dams in the mountains to slow the flow of stormwater has been identified as a mitigating measure.

The response of other mayors in the seven cities and six municipalities of Mega Cebu is being awaited.

The MCDCB is chaired by Gov. Hilario Davide III with co-chairmen Mayor Rama of Cebu City and businessman Roberto Aboitiz for the private sector.

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