Cabanlas on perennial city flooding: Master plan on drainage system a must

MAJORITY Floor Leader City Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas seconded the prayer of Councilor Yevona Yacine Emano requesting the 20th City Council, led by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, to file a resolution urging the Department of Public Works and Highways in coordination with the City Engineering Office and the Office of the Building Official to submit the city’s comprehensive drainage management system as basis for a drainage plan which may be referred to the Congressional Offices of both districts for budget appropriation from the national government.

During the 20th City Council’s 101st regular session, Councilor Emano commended the efforts of the Committee on Public Works chaired by Councilor Cabanlas for providing solution to the city’s longstanding issue of flooding through its brainchild project “Operation Likay Baha: Kanal Limpyohan, Baha Malikayan”.

However, there are limitations in the said initiative because the available equipment for desilting of very small drainages cannot go into every nook and cranny. Some establishments also block the completion of big-ticket drainage projects, she added.

With this, Cabanlas called on the DPWH to provide the master plan to the city government to set the right direction for the implementation of future infrastructure projects on flood mitigation.