Wakeup call for Cebu City’s drainage projects

SEVERE flooding in parts of Cebu City barangays yesterday was a stark reminder of the need to improve the city’s inadequate drainage system, said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

“The more reason that we must look for money.  We should not say that we do not have money,” he said.

Rama had proposed a  P500-million outlay for drainage projects in the 2012 annual  budget , which the City Council reduced to P200 million.

Vice Mayor Joy Young said the council could approve more drainage projects if Rama could find fund sources for the purpose.

Rama wrote  the vice mayor yesterday a request for the conduct of a special session of the council to declare a state of calamity  in affected areas so that emergency funds can be released.

Rama also wanted to discuss the 2012 budget ordinance, which he returned because of the lack of fund source.

However, Young said that Mayor Rama did not specify in his letter yet which barangays  need to be delcared in a state of  calamity.

Cathy Yso, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said a verification of affected families was still being made.

The city still has about P5 million in unused calamity funds that they could spend for flood relief.

In barangay Mabolo, families in sitio Magtalisay located along the Mahiga Creek were asked to leave their homes  at about 2:26 a.m. yesterday after water level rose more than five feet, said Gale Encierto of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction office.

Some of them were asked to temporarily occupy the Mabolo barangay hall until floodwater would subside.

The residents, however, refused to vacate. Water was also knee-deep in sitio Lahinglahing at the back of the Mabolo barangay hall and near Perissimon along M.J. Cuenco Avenue.

Part of M.J. Cuenco Avenue in barangay Tinago  was also submerged in knee-deep water.

Landslidesmade part of the Transcentral Highway near barangays Taptap and Busay impassable yesterday morning.

Heavy equipment from the Department of Public and Higways and city government were sent to remove mud and boulders. Landslides were also reported in  mountain barangays of Binaliw. San Jose were landslides were also reported. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac