Bocaps told: Deploy 'tanods' to stop dumping in canals

By Pamela Mariz Geminiano

BAGUIO CITY -- Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan has urged barangay officials in the city to deploy more village watchers or barangay tanods to make sure no one dumps their garbage in canals and waterways that causes flooding.

Domogan said poor management of garbage in some residential areas is to blame for flooding at the City Camp Lagoon.

“If the flood spreads in these areas, the residents would be forced to evacuate from their homes,” he said.

The mayor added that barangays should help in controlling the dumping of garbage on waterways and canals that lead to the lagoon by regular monitoring.

Some barangays have installed “grills” to avoid garbage from reaching the lagoon. But this proved to be insufficient in preventing the dumping of garbage.

Among the canals that drain to the City Camp Lagoon are Lourdes and Dominican, QM, Quarry, Dominican, Quezon Hill and City Camp.

City Camp Lagoon, the lowest part in the city, is beset with flooding problems, as water and garbage from elevated barangays flows to the area during the rainy season.

The city government allotted PHP50 million for the rehabilitation of this place in 2010 and has continued to pour in budget for it.

For decades, the Baguio City government and the Department of Public Works and Highways have been implementing various infrastructure programs to address the problem of flooding in the lower part of the city.

Among these were the widening of the tunnel opening and the tunnel cave that drains to La Union and the construction of tunnel grills along the waterways to prevent garbage from getting in.

Domogan said if the residents would manage their wastes and dispose of these properly, then there would be no clogging.

The city government also continues to conduct information campaign among residents of barangays on elevated areas in the city on the ill effects of dumping garbage on canals, especially on rainy days. -- PNA