City officials: Outdated drainage, land development cause flooding

While it has been an open secret that Cebu City's drainage system is already outdated—mainly contributing to the perennial flooding in the city—the biggest hurdle to its upgrade is the acquisition of lots.

- Iris Hazel Mascardo/RAE

Yesterday (Monday), some areas in Cebu City were inundated anew after continuous heavy rains.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), said monitoring of the situation began at around 5:15 a.m. to assess the basis for classes' suspension.

He said this was done after they received reports of flooded areas, particularly near the South District, that already posed danger to the public, prompting Mayor Nestor Archival to declare suspension of classes and immediately stop face-to-face classes.

Tumulak said the most affected areas were low-lying areas, such as barangays Inayawan, Cogon Pardo, and N. Bacalso, as well as the rising Guadalupe and Bulacao rivers.

Flooding in the city remained a perennial problem, said the councilor, citing a major contributor to this is the development in upland areas and barangays, particularly the construction of residential areas there.