DPWH to fund P120-M Cebu drainage plan

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will fund a P120-million drainage master plan for Metro Cebu but will not draw it up.

Towns and cities will have to make their own drainage plans, and have these plans integrated, the agency’s representative told the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) yesterday.

During the board meeting at the Capitol, Jun Sanchez, a private engineer, said about P80 million will be initially allocated for all towns and cities in Metro Cebu to help draw up their own drainage plans. About P20 million will be spent to integrate these plan which would take six months to one year.

Sanchez said the DPWH central office declined to draw up the actual Metro Cebu drainage plan.

Sanchez, who heads the MCDCB sub-committee on infrastructure and utilities, said the board will have to hire technical experts to make the master plan.

In his presentation on drainage infrastructure planning and development for Mega Cebu, Sanchez compared the drainage study of Cagayan de Oro and Cebu City done in 1983.

Sanchez said Cagayan de Oro successfully implemented its drainage study over a decade while Cebu City has not implemented any of it until this year, resulting in narrow canals and drainage outlets.

He said the flood experienced earlier this month at the North Reclamation Area near SM City was due to the absence of outfall canals.

Sanchez showed a Google Chrome satellite image of the Mahiga river down to the SM area where it showed the presence of informal settlers blocking the outfall of water.

After the presentation, Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado filed a motion to request the Office of the President to appropriate P120 million to fund the integrated drainage master plan for Metro Cebu.