Motorists experienced floods due to heavy rains in some part of Cebu in this September 11, 2023 photo. | Contributed photo [FILE PHOTO]
This was discussed by DEPW officials on the Sugboanon channel’s program on Tuesday.
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DEPW Maintenance Division Head Yumi Fernandez, Road Section Head JY Ermac, and DEPW Drainage Section Head Norman del Mar talked about the programs that were being implemented by the department to solve the issue of flooding and they also discussed how their efforts would reduce the chances of flooding around Cebu City.
Del Mar said that through the recently concluded 16th Cebu City-wide cleanup drive, they were able to remove garbage from areas like Brgy. Carreta, Brgy. Tejero, Blessed Sacrament and J. Panis.
Meanwhile, Fernandez added that a considerable amount of garbage was removed from these areas.
“So karun unta, manghinaot mi, mga tawo, kaning naa sa barangay magdisiplina lang unta ta sa atung isig ka tawo para dili na molabay sa ilang basura didtu sa sapa. Kay sa nakita na namo, ang mga basura ug pila to among nalimpyo sa last na cleanup, mao ra gihapon kadaghana,” Fernandez said.
(So now, we hope, that the people, those at the barangay will practice discipline for our fellowmen so that they will not throw their garbage into the rivers. Because what we saw are the garbage and that how much we removed during the last cleanup and it was the same as the last one.)
The maintenance division head also encouraged residents to be responsible and disciplined with their waste disposal to lessen the burden on the department with the succeeding cleanup drives.
Fernandez said that she hoped the succeeding cleanup drives would have less garbage to remove from areas that would risk flooding around the city.
Moreover, Del Mar said that another program the government would be working on the Pagsulbad sa Baha program.
Through the program, the department procured two declogging equipment for the drainage line, as well as the renting of heavy equipment for dredging in different rivers around the city.
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Another project in collaboration with the Task Force Gubat sa Baha is the construction of drainage lines near Manalili, Junquera, and M.J. Cuenco, to reduce the chances of flooding near the Colon area.
“Ang atung mga basura i-manage nato, dili ta magpataka og labay bisag asa lang kay kung mag-uwan mosulod na sa atong canal, sa atung drainage line ug moadtu sa atung kasapaan maoy mobabag sa flow sa tubig. So masinati natu ang baha,” Del Mar said.
(We should manage our garbage, we should not just throw our garbage anywhere because if it rains, it will enter the canal, in our drainage line and this will go to our rivers and this will block the flow of the water. So we can then experience floods.)
Ermac also encouraged the public to help each other as well as the DEPW for them to provide the service for their needs, and achieve the goals for the betterment of the public and Cebu City.