A day after the Ombudsman put Cebu’s P60-billion flood-control projects under scrutiny, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon went straight to flood-prone areas in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue, identifying blocked waterways and drainage bottlenecks that the agency says need immediate action.
The DPWH chief visited several areas on Tuesday, Aug. 11, in Mandaue, including A.S. Fortuna Street, Orel Creek in Barangay Banilad, and A.C. Cortes Avenue, where local officials presented existing flooding problems and proposed mitigation measures.
Dizon also inspected Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City, an area affected by severe flooding, where he said the DPWH is considering ways to redirect water from drainage systems toward the sea and the South Road Properties (SRP).
Waterways blocked
Dizon said the situation in Basak Pardo is particularly challenging because natural and traditional waterways that once carried water from the mountains of Cebu City have been obstructed by structures, including houses.
As a result, water coming from the mountains is overflowing into nearby barangays, he said.
‘The waterways are all blocked already. So, the water overflows into the barangay, the two barangays there,’ Dizon said.
He said the DPWH is looking at several options to bring water from drainage systems along the national highway down toward the ocean and the reclamation area at SRP.
‘We have to find a way to bring the water down to the SRP because that’s where the water should flow,’ he said.
The agency will coordinate with the Cebu City government and barangay officials in working out a solution, Dizon added.
Mandaue projects
In Mandaue, Dizon reviewed flood mitigation measures already being undertaken by the city, particularly along A.S. Fortuna Street near Rolling Hills. He said the interventions could improve water flow and help reduce the time it takes for floodwaters to subside during heavy rains.
At Orel Creek in Barangay Banilad, officials discussed how the waterway contributes to flooding in the community.
Dizon also inspected A.C. Cortes Avenue, where plans are being considered for a flood gate and pumping station that would discharge water toward the sea.
The proposed system is expected to help prevent backflow and reduce flooding in the area.
Other priority concerns raised during the inspection included funding for flood mitigation in the Innodata area of Barangay Subangdaku and drainage improvements at LH Prime.
The Mandaue City Public Affairs Office said the national government, under the direction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is working to provide funding for these projects in coordination with Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Philip Lo.
‘Right now, everything is top priority. I just wanted to make sure that all the priorities are being given the proper attention, especially in
Cebu City, Mandaue and other places, ay talagang ma-aksyonan agad,’ Dizon said.
Ombudsman investigation
The inspection came a day after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said their office would look into roughly P60 billion worth of flood control projects in Cebu implemented over a six-year period.
Asked about the investigation, Dizon said the DPWH has been cooperating with the Ombudsman and that documents have already been submitted.
‘The investigations are all ongoing and all the documents have already been submitted to the Ombudsman. So let us wait for the Ombudsman for the appropriate action,’ he said.
Dizon also urged the public to allow the Ombudsman, DOJ and NBI to perform their respective roles in investigating possible irregularities.
‘It is the role of the Ombudsman to prosecute, investigate and prosecute. That is also the role of the NBI and the DOJ. Let us allow them to do their jobs,’ he said.
He said the DPWH, meanwhile, would focus on addressing the flooding problems that communities have been experiencing for years.
‘Our main job is to fix all of these problems that as Mayor John Key said is decades na ito. So we will have to just fix them as fast as we can to help our people hopefully alleviate the flooding that has been happening for so many years,’ Dizon said.
No quick fix
Dizon cautioned that solving Cebu’s flooding problems would not happen overnight.
‘There is no overnight solution to flooding. We have to all understand that,’ he said.
He pointed to the lack of dredging over the past decade as one of the issues that has contributed to the need for catch-up work.
‘There has been practically no dredging since 10 years ago,’ Dizon said.
He added that the government has begun addressing these longstanding concerns and that flood mitigation measures are already producing results in some parts of Metro Manila and other areas.
However, he said communities would have to wait for the full impact of the projects to be felt. ‘We will always be here’
Mandaue Mayor Thadeo ‘Jonkie’ Ouano welcomed the DPWH chief’s visit, saying the city has been dealing with flooding for decades and that local governments cannot solve the problem on their own.
‘This has been happening, time immemorial ba, decades na. Pero now we are finally seeing na ma-implement na with the collaboration between local and national government, kasi di din naman talaga kaya kung kami lang,’ Ouano said.
The city government also called on residents to cooperate by properly disposing of waste and helping keep waterways clear.
Dizon, for his part, assured Cebu officials that the national government would continue working with local governments on flood mitigation.
‘Walang iwanan ito. We are always here,’ he said.
Dizon said he has visited Cebu repeatedly since becoming DPWH secretary, adding that the agency would continue to work with the province’s local government units.
‘We will always be here for Cebu and our Kababayans,’ he said.
Joining Dizon during the Mandaue inspection were Ouano, Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, Congresswoman Emmarie ‘Lolypop’ Ouano-Dizon, City Administrator Atty. Sally Malig-on Jr., Executive Secretary, Atty. Riczen Gingoyon and representatives from the DPWH Cebu 6th District Engineering Office, City Engineer’s Office, City Planning and Development Office, and Barangay Banilad.