Opposition Cebu City Councilors Raymond Garcia and Joel Garganera called on Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to prioritize solutions to the city’s flooding problem.
“Let us prioritize what is good for the city. We are willing to help. Election and politics are over,” Garcia said in yesterday’s 888 News Forum.
Garganera agreed, saying that efforts should be focused on clearing the creeks of illegal settlers.
“It’s very frustrating. Creeks and rivers are the reflection of our city,” Garganera said.
He said no matter how large the budget is set for dredging and drainage, floods will still persist if encroachment on creeks and rivers remain unchecked.
In the same forum, Asst. Regional Director Juby Cordon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) said a P731 million budget is allocated for flood control projects in Cebu this year.
These include flood control and drainage improvement in Bulacao, Kinalumsan, Guadalupe, Lahug and Subangdaku River Basins, Cebu City worth P422 million.
About P70 million is also allocated for the Kinalumsan River flood control project and P96 million for the Tejero channel improvement project.
The Subangdaku river flood control project and Tipolo river control projects in Mandaue City were budgeted at P88 million and P55 million respectively, Cordon said.
Garganera said other local governments should be involved in order to have a unified approach towards dealing with the garbage problem.
Cordon said Woodfields Consultants Inc. will present to their central office an updated master plan to identify what other interventions can be done to solve flooding.
“This is for short-term and long-term solution,” Cordon said.
While waiting for the results of the updated master plan, Cordon said there is an ongoing dredging at Mahiga Creek.
Cordon said their office will identify how many settlers are encroaching on rivers and creeks in Metro Cebu. These settlers should also be relocated by the local governments, Cordon said.
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