‘Mountain dev’t needs regulation’

Laws  governing upland developments in Cebu City need to be “overhauled,” said  Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young.

“The city is developing at a much faster rate.  Before, we de did not expect developments to reach  the mountains,” Young said.

Pending resolution of the Monterrazas de Cebu issue, where severe flooding recurred in lowland sitios of Guadalupe and Tisa after heavy rains last month, Rama said he  would  ask Councilor Noel Wenceslao as chairperson of the urban planning committee to sponsor an ordinance  to address the need for new guidelines.

“There is really a need for us to do all this as soon as possible,” said Young.   He said a consequence of  upland developments is that rainwater would flow downhill instead of seeping into the ground. He also said there was  a need to hold back  on other future developments in the city.

Mayor Michael Rama  issued a cease-and-desist order on  works in Monterrazas  until anti-flood measures are set up.

Genvi  officials insist that flooding was a problem there even before they started work in 2007.  While they have a drainage plan, they face the  problem of interconnecting with  inadequate   drainage systems in the lowlands to hold runoff water from Monterrazas. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters