Cebu quarrying causes floods, says city council

The Cebu City Council has urged various City Hall departments to submit evaluation reports on areas affected by flooding, including infrastructure and drainage systems made as steps to mitigate the impact.

This, as a council member disclosed that the alleged "unabated" quarrying in the upland barangays of the city is causing the flooding to low-lying areas in the city.

North district City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos in her resolution, stressed that while she is not against land development especially for the hinterlands, "the use and development of these particular areas should be made in such a manner that it does not adversely affect the natural flow of runoff water from the hinterland to the lowlands."

"Waters as high as five feet came rushing at the pressures that toppled retaining walls and similar structures," she added.

The resolution, which was adopted by the City Council directed the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Department of Engineering and Public Works, Office of the Building Official and Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office to provide evaluation reports.

"The deluge not only caused hours of city-wide traffic, damage to property and injury to persons, but worse, it left an insurmountable fear and trauma upon the affected residents," Delos Santos said.

She also asked if developers of housing and quarrying projects in the mountain barangays submitted drainage impact assessment and strategies to the departments concerned, such as the DEPW, OBO and CCENRO.

Delos Santos insisted that "an honest-to-goodness" study of the assessment results, as well as inspections were conducted before the projects started.

The CCDRRMO had P450,331,161.40 budget allotment for 2023 for preparedness, prevention and mitigation infrastructure works.