Mahiga Creek settlers adamant on staying put

Despite the inherent danger of flooding, residents along Cebu City’s side of the Mahiga creek find it difficult to leave the area they’ve lived in for most of their lives.

Luzviminda Itang whose house is located just beside the Mahiga creek in sitio Lahing-Lahing in barangay Mabolo, said her family is used to the flooding in the area.

The 58-year-old Itang had been living near the creek since she was born.

For others like 47-year-old Maria Madrid, they’ve already set up their livelihood or are employed near the creek.

“Duol ra man gud diri ang among trabahoan (It’s near where I work),” said Madrid who works as a cashier in a nearby mall. Another resident, Leticia Pardillo, left her hometown in Tuburan and lived in the creek for the past decade.

Rowena Padillo, governance officer of the Fellowship of Organizing Endeavors, Inc. (FORGE), said the Mahiga Creek residents have adapted to their situation.

“If they can’t leave or avoid it, they just have to adapt to it,” she said.

Demolition

Padillo has been working in barangay Mabolo for over two years for their “Building Readiness  for Disaster and Good Governance in our Expansion Communities (BRIDGE-Comm) Project.”

When asked how they prepare for the floods, residents of Mahiga creek said they keep their belongings in high areas, monitor water levels and immediately evacuate to the nearby sports complex after one hour of nonstop rain.

The Management Information and Computer System (MICS) mapped out the five flood-prone sites in the city.

These are Mahiga in Mabolo, the Parian esteros, Tinago, Bulacao and Tagunol which are all within low-lying urban parts of the city.

Harold Alcontin of MICS said more than 5,000 structures encroach in the three-meter easement of waterways.

Alvin Santillana, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC) operations chief, said they can’t just demolish the structures in these areas for lack of relocation sites.

In 2011, the city was sued in court for demolishing shanties of occupants in parts of the Mahiga creek.

Hermecijie Pabilic, president of the Lahing-Lahing Home Owners Association said that they also find it hard to leave the area.

“My kids study in Mabolo Elementary School and I have my business here. It’s really difficult to leave all these immediately,” Pabilic said.

But Pabilic said they are also looking for relocation sites.

Cebu City Hall set aside P157.5 million for disaster risk reduction and management this year.

Of that amount, 70 percent or P110.2 million was set aside for pre-disaster and post-disaster requirements.

The remaining 30 percent worth P47.2 million will be used as a quick response fund. /Jose Santino S. Bunachita, Correspondent