Cebu City govt disaster ready but people’s vigilance needed

CEBU City is disaster-ready.

This is what Alvin Santillana, operations officer of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) said on the series of flooding incidents that occurred over the past few days.

“We are ready but it must be a two-way responsibility for both the people and the government,”  Santillana said.

The flooding last Saturday affected barangays Guadalupe, Kalunasan, Sapangdaku and Sambag 2 when the rivers that cross the barangays overflowed due to heavy rains.

“The government is doing its best,” said Santillana adding that it’s the responsibility of the government to provide quick response and assistance to the affected individuals.

The river in Guadalupe overflowed, resulting to  chest level flood waters.

During the series of flash flood incidents that occurred over the past few days, Santillana said they “dispatched the Bureau of Fire Protection, the barangay disaster brigades, and personnel of CDRRMC to evacuate the people.”

CDRRMC has recommended the voluntary relocation of people living in flood prone and landslide prone areas.

“We already told them to look for safer places to stay,” Santillana said.

Santillana said their immediate action when disasters strike is evacuation, which is only a temporary solution.

He urged the people living near riverbanks to be alert at all times especially when water rises.

“Don’t wait to be told to evacuate because it’s their life who are at stake here,” said Santillana.

When asked if these areas are to be referred to the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) for setting up of ripraps, he said, “no engineering can stop flooding alone.”

Santillana said the “best thing to do is evacuate risky areas.”

“It should focus on the people, people should be ready,” he said. /Tweeny M. Malinao, Correspondent