“Young engineers” of the City Engineering Office (CEO) were grilled Monday by the City Council for a “flawed” proposed P120 million drainage system in the city.
The Council questioned the CEO’s proposal pointing out several flaws in the design presented, which later turned out to be conceptualized without an ocular inspection by the engineers in charge of the design creation.
Engr. Kenneth Alcala, CEO engineer, admitted that the plan, which was done in portion and not as a part of a “master plan”, was only created based on the survey conducted by a different team.
“Dadaloy naman po kasi yung tubig because of gravitation. Ito pong sa Ligaya [road bridging] Peneyra and Libis, overhang boxed drainage sa gitna po ng kalsada ‘yong design,” Alcala said.
Councilors Nesario Awat, Victor Oliveros, Peter Maristela, Jimmy Carbonell, and Herbert Dilig piled on in expressing dismay especially pointing out the “lack of coordination” among CEO, City Planning Office (CPO) and the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH).
Engr. Aguirre of DPWH confirmed that the city’s drainage system is out of the department’s responsibility citing that they only follow suit according to the rendered CEO plan.
The proposed drainage system specifically targeting Barangay San Pedro, serving as an example, was disproportionate to the elevation and drainage outfall that even “misconceptualized” the sewage treatment facility (STP).
“I have doubts on that. Kung sarado naman ang mga waterways sa sinasabing outfall ng tubig, mukhang hindi naman babagsak sa dagat or sa ilog ang tubig. It’s about high time that we get apprised of the master plan and the natural waterways para hindi naman sayang ang pera ng gobyerno,” Dilig said.
A certain Mrs. Esperancilla, reacting to the drainage proposal, asked to consider the road elevation in constructing the drainage to avoid flooding experienced during the rainy season.
“Sana gandahan ang kanal na yan kasi sa malapad ang lupa dyan baka naman ilang buwan lang puno na ng lupa yang drainage. Dapat mataas ang sidewalk keysa level ng lupa kasi sayang budget dyan palpak ang trabaho perwisyo pa yan sa motorista,” she said.
Reports in November 2018 following an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) resulted in flooding in certain parts of Bgy. San Pedro, San Manuel, and San Jose which prompted the city government to first tackle the issue.
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