First 100 days: Cebu City mayor vows to improve barangay disaster response

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama promised to strengthen barangay-based emergency response within the first 100 days of his new administration.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRMO) pperations head Harold Alcontin said increasing resources for disaster response at the barangay level would enable a faster response to calamities.

“The barangay is the first responder in any disasters and calamities so we are strengthening our barangay-based [response teams],” Alcontin said in a mix of English and Cebuano.

The CCDRMO reported at least 20 of the city’s southern barangays were affected by flooding in the past week due to heavy rain. 

The official pointed out that the poor maintenance of the drainage systems in sitios, and garbage piling up along major waterways near elevated barangays, were some of the reasons for the widespread flooding. 

The city government has already conducted a series of inspections along major waterways, but Alcontin urged that an inventory of the city’s drainage systems must be done, especially for systems located in flood-prone barangays.

“Nakit-an man jud namo nga during sa among pag-response, nibuto ang drainage because naclog up sa mga plastic (We really saw during our response, the drainage exploded because it was clogged up with plastic),” Alcontin said.

The city is also set to institutionalize an “Incident Command System”.

“Kinahanglan usa ra og language ang among response, dili mi magiyahay (There must be only one language for our response, we shouldn’t be on our own),” Alcontin said.

The said system would centralize all communications between the CDDRMO, barangay-based emergency response teams, police, and other concerned agencies during times of disasters and calamities.

Narrowing waterways

Alcontin noted that one of the reasons why the city was also experiencing worsening floods was because of the narrowing waterways.

According to the city’s disaster head, this was caused by garbage piling up near waterbeds and buildings being constructed along major rivers like the Kamputhaw and Lahug Rivers.

Earlier in June, Cebu City began removing buildings and house structures that were found within a three-meter range of the rivers.

The homeowners affected by the policy were promised relocation and housing.

“That’s why Mayor Mike’s program, the medium-rise building is intended for our informal settlers, especially those who were situated in danger zones,” Alcontin said.

Alcontin added that the beneficiaries have already been identified with the help of the city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor. – Rappler.com