The Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) on Monday urged barangay leaders to take part in the clearing of mud and debris from streets and public spaces that were flooded.
Teams from ASU, the City Environment and Natural Resource Office, and the City Engineer’s Office continue to remove debris from roads and blockage from waterways 24/7, particularly in the 15 barangays worst hit by flooding brought by the trough of a low pressure area in the region. Facilities that were used as evacuation sites are also now being cleared of trash and debris.
“Wala naga-undang ang atong tropa bisan pa gabii tungod kay naa tay pang-gabii […] Bisa pag ga-ulan nya gabii, didto mi (Our troops are working non-stop even at night […] even if it is raining at night, we are there),” ASU Head Paul Bermejo said over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday.
The ASU, he said, has suspended its other operations and assigned most of its personnel on street and drainage clearing operations. However, for some places that remain submerged in floodwater (e.g. Jade Valley Homes), clearing operations cannot be conducted. Bermejo said the water in these areas must first be allowed to subside.
The ASU has started removing mud and other debris from the streets and drainages of Barangay 5-A on Monday. Barangay 5-A is among the 15 barangays affected by flooding.
“Ang amoa karon is kadtong mga lapok nga naa diha sa ilahang agi-anan, unya ato pud hinluan ang ilang drainage system kay para mu-flow na pud og usab ang tubig nga dili na sila mabahaan kung ang tubig dili gikan sa pag overflow sa sapa (We are now removing the mud on their streets, and we will also be cleaning their drainage system to make it flow again so they will no longer be flooded by water that does not come from the overflowing of the river),” Bermejo said.
Although the ASU will continue its 24-hour clearing operations, Bermejo said the unit needs the assistance of barangay functionaries to accomplish the task. This is especially true, he said, in clearing facilities used as evacuation sites.
“Kadtong mga uban nga mga evacuation center, labi na tong naa sa barangay, manghinaot mi sa mga barangay officials na tabangan na lang pud unta mi nila sa paghinlo ana (Other evacuation centers, especially those in the barangays, we are hoping for the barangay officials to help us clean them),” he said.
“Ang uban nga areas sa atong siyudad nagatinabangay sila sa paghinlo pud sa ilang area so mangayo ‘sab mi’g tabang sa inyoha. Ayaw lang ninyo isalig tanan sa atong local na panggamhanan though nagapaningkamot pud intawn mi. So tabang pud mo diha sa barangay level (Other areas in our city have worked together in cleaning their areas so we are also asking help from you. Do not entrust all of the work to the local government though we are doing our best. Do your part in the barangay level),” he added. CIO
