Flooding remains a problem in many low-lying areas of Tagbilaran City during rainy days.
The usual concern areas remain unaddressed, considering the still-unattained drainage system even after the lapse of almost a decade already.
The issue cropped up again as dengue cases soared to an alarming rate in the past weeks that moderate to heavy rains had been experienced in the city that catered to the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.
Topping the concerns aired by the public are the Lamdagan St., a portion of Janssen Heights, and portions of J.A. Clarin St.
In November last year, the city government finalized the Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) aimed at establishing an “efficient drainage system to reduce the level of risk to life and property in flood-prone areas”.
Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap had been assuring the public that the city government already has ready action during heavy rains to address the concerns on floodings, particularly the Lamdagan area.
Yap also said earlier this year that the city government is already in the process of improving the drainage system of Tagbilaran.
The LCCAP had been drafted for the city to establish climate change preparedness by 2020.
It is the goal of the city government that by 2020, there would be 1,500 lineal meters of new drainage channel ways already constructed in areas identified as flood-prone.
Also by 2020, the city government targets to complete the replacement of 800 meters of non-functional and unserviceable drainage channel ways.
Pesticide engineer Forting Lim, for his part, explained that dengue-carrying mosquitoes thrive in clear water and not in murky collection of water just anywhere.
Provincial Health Officer Reymoses Cabagnot, for his part, had earlier explained that mosquitoes thrive even in small pools of water.
By this, the city residents who aired their concerns noted that the floodings in concrete streets could easily become breeding grounds for mosquitoes in just the short span of time when some portions of the flooded streets are left undisturbed by passing vehicles.
Tagbilaran remains at the top spot in the list of areas with high incidence of dengue, though it is the town of Dauis that posted the most number of deaths from dengue infection.
Based on the latest data of the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Provincial Health Office, Tagbilaran posted 219 cases of dengue with two deaths, while Dauis had 142 cases with seven deaths from January to November 3 this year.
Other concern areas are the towns of Trinidad which had 118 cases without death; Loon, with 110 cases with five deaths; Cortes, with 79 cases without death; Talibon, with 76 cases and one death; Carlos P. Garcis, with 64 cases; Ubay, with 63 cases with one death; Carmen, with 61 cases with one death; and Bien Unido, with 52 cases.
Aside from addressing the issue on convenience and preservation of road condition, the drainage project being worked out by the city government is also expected to address the concern on the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.
By the time the city government would have replaced all the non-functional and unserviceable drainage channel ways, the Drainage Master Plan of Tagbilaran City would already by updated.
In relation to climate change preparedness, the city government will “integrate its engineering designs to adapt to increased rainfall and extreme weather events”.
In the LCCAP, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) recognizes flooding as one of the concerns related to climate change impact on the city.
Low-lying areas such as barangay Cogon (where Lamdagan area is located) are identified as prone to flooding.
The lack of centralized drainage is also noted as having compounded to the flooding everytime heavy rain pours.
“With heavier rainfall according to the estimates of DOST’s LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), compounded by the lack of any centralized drainage system, the possibility of flooding has increased,” as also noted in the LCCAP.