𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝟖-𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐌 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐄𝐒
The Cebu Provincial Government held a public consultation on proposed big-ticket infrastructure projects aimed at addressing Metro Cebu’s persistent problems of depleting water supply, destructive flooding, and worsening traffic congestion.
The consultation, held at the Capitol on May 18, brought together officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including assistant regional director Nonato Paylado, along with representatives from Metro Cebu LGUs, national government agencies and non-government organizations.
During the consultation, Paylado presented the priority projects identified by the agency under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., including a proposal to construct a dam or a series of dam structures along Cebu’s eight major river systems, namely:
1. Mananga River of Talisay City
2. Bulacao River of Cebu City
3. Guadalupe and Kinalumsan Rivers of Cebu City
4. Butuanon River of Mandaue City
5. Lusaran River of Cebu City
6. Cansaga River of Consolacion and Mandaue City
7. Cotcot River of the municipalities of Compostela and Liloan
8. Danao River of Danao City
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said a commitment of P8 billion has already been secured from the national government for the proposed dam projects, which are expected to help address both water supply concerns and flood mitigation solutions.
“This is something that we must do…Kining dam projects, these will haunt us for generations if we don’t do this…We cannot waste this opportunity. We really have to grab this. Kung di ni nato buhaton karon, kanus-a pa man? Mosamot na ta’g baha, and threatened na ta all our lives,” the governor said.
Paylado said dams will serve as major water impounding structures that would reduce the velocity of flash floods which happened during Typhoon Tino.
The contained volume of water by the dam structures, Paylado added, could become a source of domestic water, resulting in the reduction of costs in the production of per metric ton of water supply, recharge the underground water, increase agricultural productivity, and the revive freshwater fisheries, among various others.
Aside from the dams, DPWH also presented their infrastructure projects aimed at addressing traffic congestion, such as the construction of a monorail in Cebu, coastal road network such as the Talisay-Minglanilla-Naga Coastal Road, and an integrated ferry system that would traverse from Carcar City in the south to Danao City in the north.
The public consultation is part of the requirement set by the Regional Development Council (RDC 7), which is also chaired by Gov. Baricuatro, before the projects can be endorsed for consideration in the national budget. /𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶 𝑷𝑰𝑶, 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒀𝑱𝑩, 𝑨𝑹𝑱
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