Flood control project found to have blocked drainage

CEBU, Philippines — A Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood-control project along T. Padilla Street has become a major obstruction to water flow after steel sheet piles installed by its contractor blocked a drainage outlet, contributing to flooding.

This was revealed yesterday by Mayor Nestor Archival as the Cebu City Government accelerated efforts to recover three-meter drainage easements.

The development came as the city government distributed P20,000 in financial assistance to each of the 23 families in Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita, whose homes were cleared to make way for drainage rehabilitation and desilting operations aimed at addressing the city's recurring flooding problem.

For the affected families, the financial assistance came as they dismantled homes they had occupied for years. City officials said the sacrifice was necessary to allow heavy equipment to access waterways that have long been clogged with silt, garbage and other obstructions.

Archival said the clearing operation is part of a broader effort to restore drainage channels that carry water from various parts of the city, including areas around Elizabeth Mall, Leon Kilat Street and Colon.

In addition, the mayor said city engineers recently discovered that a major drainage line in T. Padilla had been blocked by steel sheet piles installed for a DPWH project.

"Naay gi-butang nga project ang DPWH nga contractor. Ang ilang steel sheet pile mao ni ang imburnal, gi-butang ang sheet pile didto, mao nga dili mogawas ang tubig," Archival said.

The blockage was discovered during inspections in Sitio Bukog, T. Padilla, where stagnant water continued to accumulate despite repeated pumping operations by the city.

"So atong nabantayan, sige lang gihapon ta'g suyop sa tubig halos kada adlaw. Band-aid solution ra gyud na," the mayor said.

Archival said city engineers had already identified the location of the obstruction and were working to address the problem. He expressed hope that it could be cleared within the week.

Meanwhile, in Sitio Bato, Chief of Staff Kenneth Siasar said inspections showed that water continued to move painfully slowly through a major drainage corridor.

"Tan-awa atong dagan, hinay kaayo ang movement sa atong tubig. So kung malimpyo na ni nga lugar, paspas na gyud ang pag-flow sa atong tubig," Siasar said.

He explained that the drainage system carries runoff from several urban areas before flowing through Leon Kilat Street and toward Ermita, making any blockage along the route a potential cause of flooding in other areas.

According to Siasar, the slow movement of water is one of the reasons flooding can occur in parts of the city even during relatively light rainfall.

During yesterday's clearing operation in Sitio Bato, the city government found that 23 houses occupied portions of a drainage easement needed for restoration work.

Archival said the structures prevented heavy equipment from accessing the area to remove accumulated mud and debris from a large culvert that serves as a crucial waterway.

The mayor said the city spent about a month negotiating with residents before proceeding with the operation. The affected families eventually agreed to dismantle their homes.

"Kinahanglan gyud nga walay obstruction aron ang tubig sa baha makaagi," he said.

He also pointed out the dangers faced by families living directly beside waterways.

"Lisod kaayo nga adunay mga tawo nagpuyo sa kilid sa sapa kay sila gyud ang unang maigo kung mosaka ang tubig," Archival added.

The affected residents were allowed to keep reusable materials from their houses and were provided with financial assistance through the city's social welfare office.

Addressing the beneficiaries, Archival urged them to use the P20,000 assistance to help rebuild their homes and relocate.

"Hinaot magamit ninyo ang P20,000 para sa inyong balay ug sa inyong pagpangandam sa bagong puy-anan," he told the residents, although their relocation sites have yet to be disclosed.

The operation forms part of the implementation of Executive Order No. 117, which created the Cebu City 3-Meter Easement Recovery Task Force, tasked with identifying and clearing structures built within drainage and waterway easements.

While Sitio Bato and Sitio Bukog remain immediate priorities, Archival said the city had already begun meeting with owners of large establishments in the Manalili area, where waterways and drainage corridors have also been affected by encroachments over the years.

He acknowledged that resistance from some property owners was expected but maintained that corrective measures were necessary before the next heavy rains arrive.

"For so many years, grabe na kaayo ang atong pag-antos sa baha tungod kay ang agianan sa tubig adunay mga obstruction," Archival said. — /IHM (FREEMAN)