CITY HALL, Cebu City (August 31, 2022) — The Cebu City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) is currently consolidating all drainage and flooding plans of the city to come up with a master plan in two weeks’ time.

Atty. Jerone Castillo. (PIO/File)

Atty. Jerone Castillo, Mayor Mike Rama’s assistant on special projects, said City Planning Officer Joseph Michael “Yumi” Espina and his staff are coming up with a single plan for the “Gubat sa Baha” and that it would be available within two weeks.

The plans for consolidation include that of the Department of Public Works and Highways, City Department of Engineering and Public Works, and of the CPDO.

“After the master plan is drawn, we will execute,” he said.

Castillo said the City is especially thankful to former environment secretary Roy Cimatu for acceding to Mayor Mike Rama’s request to serve as “consultant”, whom the mayor said would work as a “DENR-like secretary”.

As DENR secretary, Cimatu enforced the three-meter easement and cleaned Boracay, Manila Bay, Pasig, and Marikina, among other accomplishments.

Mayor Mike Rama embraces Retired General Roy Cimatu upon the former environment secretary’s arrival at City Hall. (PIO/Fille)

That is why, Castillo said, the City is confident that the three-meter easement would surely be enforced.

“We are thankful that he took the challenge. All our activities now in ‘Gubat sa Baha’ will be under one unified command… With his experience… I think we can see a brighter future in solving our flooding problem,” he said.

“If there is a need to cut the buildings, then we will cut the buildings,” he added.

We are thankful that he took the challenge. All our activities now in ‘Gubat sa Baha’ will be under one unified command… With his experience… I think we can see a brighter future in solving our flooding problem.

Mayor’s Assistant on Special Projects Atty. Jerone Castillo, on Roy Cimatu

Castillo said that Cimatu event wants that the owners of the offending structures should be the ones to cut their own buildings to free up the three-meter easement on both sides of the city’s waterways.

He also said that Cimatu, as initial step, wants a massive de-clogging of the city’s drainage systems, which will be implemented on Sept. 17, simultaneous with the City’s quarterly coastal and waterways cleanup. (PIO/rhm)

Homes such as these, which are built right at the side of the river, would have to go once the three-meter easement for waterways is fully implemented. (PIO/File)