City Hall to enhance, beautify Mahiga Creek

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Government through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has started the enhancement and beautification of the three-meter easement of the Mahiga Creek at the North Reclamation Area.

CENRO Head Ma. Nida Cabrera said the office will use ecobricks and eco-pavers for the beautification of the Mahiga Creek’s easement area.

“Gipaninguha gyud namo nga puros recyclable ang magamit nato like sa ecobricks nga plastic bottles unya gibutangan og mga plastics sa sulod ug ihimo na nga benches unya ang eco-pavers naa mi’y nakolekta nga dili na magamit nga glass nga bottles among gi-crush ug gisagol sa semento para sa pavers,” she told The FREEMAN.

Cabrera said the enhancement of the Mahiga Creek started last Monday and is expected to be completed before the second week of November in time for the celebration of the International River’s Summit.

She said the enhancement of the Mahiga Creek will be among the city’s projects that will be showcased during next month’s summit.

Among the best practice of the city that she wanted to showcase are the usage of ecobricks and eco-pavers.

She said ecobricks are plastic bottle stuffed with plastics to create a reusable building block in a form of benches while eco-pavers are made of crushed glass combined to cement mixture.

“Among ipakita ang contribution sa city sa campaign nga needed i-address ang pollution sa atong rivers, gihimo nato nga ma-recycle tanang magamit pa,” she added.

Cabrera said part of the enhancement of the Mahiga Creek is the provision of a bike lane along the Mahiga Creek.

After the launching, she said CENRO will turn over the project to the City’s Parks and Playgrounds for the project to be maintained.

Aside from the Mahiga Creek beautification, Cabrera said the city will also showcase the biofence which is made up of recycled plastic bottles and wrapped in fishnets.

Biofence, which is about 10-meters long and half-a-meter wide, is designed to float on riverbanks, creeks, and other waterways to trap garbage strewing the waterways in the city.

Cabrera said a biofence will also be installed along the Tinago Riverside Promenade which separates Barangays Tinago and San Roque.

She said the city and Barangay San Roque will discuss on how to sustain and maintain the Tinago Riverside Promenade, a pet project of City Councilor Joel Garganera.

The Tinago Riverside Promenade promotes the grandeur of the river with the trees and other ornamental plants embedded to enhance its scenery.

However, Cabrera said the promenade was no longer maintained and was occupied by illegal settlers. –GAN (FREEMAN)