Council: Clean Pari-an estero

CEBU, Philippines —  With the start of rainy season officially declared, the Cebu City Council has asked the Office of the Mayor through the River Eco-Park Management Commission (REPMC) to clean and rehabilitate Estero de Pari-an.

In her resolution, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said the Pari-an estero, which runs 1.5 kilometers through the flood-prone downtown Cebu City, should be de-clogged to prevent overflowing and flooding.

“It has been observed that there is a sea of plastic bags and bottles clogging the waterways of Estero de Parian in D. Jakosalem Street,” read a portion of the resolution.

Last Friday, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared the onset of the rainy season which is seen to bring landslides and flooding in some areas of the city, province, and the country.

Comebacking Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Nida Cabrera said her office is now profiling settlers living the riverbanks or near the river of the city.

This project, she said, would help the city address the settlers’ indiscriminate throwing of garbage on the rivers, creeks, and streams.

“Daghan na gyod ang plastic ug garbage makita nato sa mga sapa maong nag-profile mi sa mga tao nga nagpuyo duol sa sapa para ma-prevent nato ang pag overflow sa atong kasapaan,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense in Central Visayas has recommended to local government units, especially barangays, to formulate contingency planning for flooding and landslide.

Assistant OCD-7 Director Ver Neil Balaba said barangay officials play a vital role in emergency preparedness as they serve as the frontliners in making sure that households are safe and secured from natural hazards caused by excessive rains.

He said that to strengthen precautionary measures, each barangay must map out its own contingency plan that suits its respective domain.

He suggested that these plans may be branched out with various significant activities like holding evacuation drills amid impending flooding or simulation exercises for search and rescue. — JMD  (FREEMAN)