Trash the main culprit in Monday night flooding

Flooded Torres Street with floating trash

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 29 (PIA)--An official of the city government cited garbage as the main factor for the sudden surge of flood waters Monday night in Davao City.

 

Paul Bermejo, chief of the Ancillary Service Unit (ASU) of the city government revealed that in the clearing operation of their night shift workers during heavy downpour last Monday at the Magsaysay Park, Quezon Boulevard and Monteverde Street, garbage was tremendously seen along the sidewalks and city streets. 

 

“It is ironic that garbage still amasses during strong rains,” he said despite the Solid Waste Management Program implemented in various communities.

 

Bermejo surmised that at the time before the strong rain, the residents and vendors already gathered their garbage to be collected by the garbage trucks. 

 

He clarified that during times of disasters, the Ancillary Service Unit of the city government is assigned to do road debris clearing. 

 

Bermejo said that even during bad weather, his team works on clearing the inlets to ward off flood waters. 

 

He observed all types of garbage litter the streets from tires, sachet and hard plastic, particularly recyclables and wooden debris. 

 

Bermejo said the flood in La Verna Hills Subdivision was caused by the filing up of garbage in its canal. 

 

He called on barangay governments to coordinate with their unit for the proper disposal of their respective material recovery facilities. 

 

Bermejo stressed there is a fast turn-over of recyclables in the material recovery facility of the barangays. 

 

However, he said that not all junkshops buy these items, as plastic bottles are recalled by soft drink companies. 

 

Bermejo said these bottles are often collected in the canals during heavy downpour. 

 

He said they could hardly do anything to address the flood at Barangay Sirawan because of the presence of larger debris which need heavy equipment and can be done only by the City Engineer’s Office and the Department of Public Works and Highways. 

 

He said they could not address the flooding at the MonteClair Village along the diversion road in Matina Hills, except clearing its main drain going to the diversion road, by removing twigs and drift wood in the canal. 

 

Bermejo bared that on September 18, the International Clean Up Day at the coastline, face masks and syringes were found in plastic bottles and cellophanes. 

 

He said hospital wastes must not be mixed with residual wastes.  “I feel dismayed over the discovery of these items in Barangay Daliao, Toril,” he said. 

 

Bermejo also called on the Department of Public Works and Highways to avoid outrightly approve drainage permits to establishments without the knowledge of the City Engineer’s Office because floods may eventually affect the city and it is a problem by the City Government. 

 

He said there are also establishments which cover natural waterways at the mercy of the residents.  ((PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines))