Group backs Mayor Sara on waterways desilting

DAVAO CITY – Davao City Mayor Sara Dutetre-Carpio is getting the support of an environmental group on the desiltation of the waterways in Davao City in anticipation of the rainy season.

Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle said the desilting and dredging activities are needed to unclog waterways such as rivers and streams and avoid overflowing and flooding in the communities near the riverbanks.

"Thankful mi kay Mayor Inday nga nag ingon siya nga i-desilt or i-dredge na ang Davao River (We are thankful to the order of Mayor Inday saying that the Davao River will be de-silted or dredged)," she said in an interview on Monday.

In her Executive Order No 09 issued last week, Duterte-Carpio said there is a need to desilt within the watershed areas to address the heavy siltation problem in rivers and streams, which could result in overflowing of water and flooding during the rainy season.

However, Golle said there should be a monitoring of the operation because some entities may take advantage of the desilting process by extracting sand and other materials from the city's city rivers.

"Last year or two years ago sa Tamugan (River) ingon sila nga mag-desilt or mag-dredge kay gamiton sa Carmen. Pero ang mga partners namo sa community naga ingon nga daghan kaayo ang nangubkob didto, (Last year or two years ago in Tamugan River, there was an order to desilt or dredge there so that the soil will be used in Carmen. But, our community partners there told us that there were many entities who dredged the river)," she said.

IDIS has been actively monitoring activities and promoting the protection of the city's watersheds, being the primary source of drinking water.

In the order, the mayor appointed City Engineer Joseph Dominic Felizarta as chairperson and named the Department of Public Works and Highways, Davao City Mining Regulatory Board, Mines and Geosciences Bureau and City Environment and Natural Resources Office as members.

The technical working group shall be responsible for all operations.

The technical working groups are also tasked to determine the need for the desilting operation, the amount or volume of materials to be extracted during the desilting process and determine the need to tap a private entity to conduct the de-silting operations in the event that the local government lacks the necessary equipment and manpower to conduct them. (Armando B. Fenequito Jr/PNA)