NEWS BRIEFS

USJ-R TO PICK STUDENTS IN THE PIER

THE University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJ-R) will designate several school buses in the ports of Cebu City next week to pick up their students as they return from summer vacation.

The students will be fetched at the seaport from Monday to Wednesday.

“The university is mindful that there will be an influx of passengers at the port and many of these students are from USJ-R, ” said Karlon Rama of USJ’R’s External Affairs Office.

In a press statement, university president Fr. Peter Enrico A. Silab, OAR, said, this was the school’s way of welcoming students and making sure that are well taken care of upon arriving.

He noted that “the Port of Cebu is at its busiest and most chaotic during the run-up to the formal opening of classes.”

Four USJ-R buses and one coaster with tarpaulin banners will be at the pier from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. of June 3, 4 and 5, 2013.

Silab said that the students will fetched in piers 1 (Cokaliong), 3 (2Go/Supercat Terminal) and 4 (Trans Asia)./Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon

MANDAUE TO MONITOR FLOODS REAL-TIME

THE Mandaue city government will use closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in major thoroughfares to monitor floods.

Mayor Jonas Cortes said that the city’s disaster command center will have access to CCTV monitors for prompt response to floods which are expected to occur along major roads like the national highway during the rainy season.

Cortes said he ordered the installation of additional CCTV cameras in the city.

Clearing of settlements along danger zones will continue, along with the regular clean up of drainage systems.

In a survey, The City Engineering Office found out that about 4,000 houses still lie within the three-meter easement of creeks.

The city government also continues to make hazard maps of 27 barangays with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to help residents and the local government prepare disaster impact mitigating measures./Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos

TALISAY BRACES FOR FLOODS, LANDSLIDES AND STORM SURGES

WITH the rainy season near, the Talisay city government is convening the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

City Administrator Richel Bacaltos said they will intensify declogging of drainage canals and ask people living flood, landslide prone and coastal areas to be ready to vacate.

Known flood and landslide-prone areas in the city are barangays Camp 4, Jaclupan, Lagtang, Manipis, Maghaway.

Coastal barangays like Poblacion and Dumlog have also been damaged by storm surges last year./Correspondent Gabriel C. Bonjoc

ROAD WORK IN LAPU-LAPU RESUMES

ROAD repair projects of the city government and Department of Public Works and Highways in Lapu-Lapu City have resumed following the lapse of the election construction ban.

Motorists are again complaining of traffic gridlock as some roads are closed for road works.

The projects that have resumed work are the Maximo Patalinjug Avenue right after first bridge; Suba-panas road in barangay Suba-basbas; Gate 4 of MEPZ 1 in barangay Ibo, Basak Mercado to Masulog, Pajac-Abuno; and Pajac-Bangkal to Agus area.

Mark Brazil, City Traffic Management System (CTMS) chief, said traffic may be heavier starting Monday as classes resume.

He asked motorists to use alternative routes to ease traffic in major thoroughfares. /Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza