Martes, Mayo 15, 2012

Agencies to check collapsed wall


Saturday, May 12, 2012
GOVERNMENT agencies will jointly inspect the collapsed riprap wall of Casa del Rio Subdivision in Barangay Talamban in Cebu City next week.
Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) 7 Director Alixes Roy Lopez sent a letter to the Environmental Management Bureau 7 and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7, both line agencies of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7.
He also sent a similar letter to Office of the Building Official (OBO) Chief Josefa Ylanan and City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) Coordinator Alipio Bacalso Jr.
Monday night’s incident left two men dead and five children injured.
The houses of the victims were located near a river and just below the subdivision.
Lots for relocation
Following the incident, Cebu City’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) is asking for P50 million to buy lots that will solely be used for the relocation of families located along riverbanks, creeks and other danger zones.
In an interview yesterday, DWUP Chief Collin Rosell said failure to transfer the families “will soon result to a disaster.”
Rosell said he requested that the P50 million be included in the proposed Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (LDRRMC) programs and plans for 2012.
The LDRRMC programs and plans outline the items that will be sourced from the City Government’s P157-million calamity fund for this year.
Rosell wants the P50 million for the lot acquisition to be taken from the calamity fund.
Asked on the response of LDRRMC to his request, Rosell said the disaster group told them it can only shell out P20 million for the lot acquisition.
Rosell said the amount is “okay” with them, so DWUP can start acquiring the lots.
The LDRRMC plans and programs for the use of the calamity fund for 2012 have yet to be approved by the City Council.
The legislative body has asked representatives from LDRRMC to appear before them first in an executive session on May 30 to shed light on the matter.
Meanwhile, HLURB 7 Director Lopez said the joint inspection aims to “assess the extent of the damage and find ways on how our respective offices could assist the developer and affected families.”
Stoppage
Two men died as a result of the accident, with five children confined at the North General Hospital for treatment of bruises and minor injuries.
The MGB 7, after conducting an inspection on Tuesday, recommended the evacuation and relocation of settlers along the riverbank and stoppage of earth-moving activities until the ground is stable.
The developer, Commonwealth Estates Inc., said there were cracks on the retaining wall following the Feb. 6 earthquake, and at the time of the accident a contractor was conducting mitigating measures and clearing operations.
The developer was set to submit a new design of the retaining wall to OBO for approval.
The CPDO will also investigate the collapse of the riprap wall.
CPDO Chief Bacalso said they want to know if the riprap was part of the subdivision plan that was submitted to their office.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 12, 2012.

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