Preparing for storms: Dumlog, Talisay builds canal to address flooding

TALISAY CITY, Cebu — A 100-meter drainage canal is being built near the Dumlog Baywalk as the barangay works to address flooding during periods of heavy rain.

The project, which started on June 22, is expected to be completed within 50 days. Workers, however, have faced delays as rainwater accumulated in the construction area.

Barangay Committee on Infrastructure Chairman Bartolome Quinsayas Seguerra confirmed that delays may occur within the 50-day timeline because of the accumulated water.

“Whenever it rains, the water would accumulate in the drainage,” Seguerra said.

Preparing for storms in flood-prone areas

Engineers have been working from Monday to Saturday to finish the drainage canal, which the barangay sees as a priority before proceeding with road repairs in flood-prone areas.

A project engineer said that the construction often halts when rainwater pools in the area. That forces workers to siphon out the accumulated water and wait for the site to dry before resuming work.

Meanwhile, soil from the ongoing construction has accumulated near the seawall, and residents have used some of the leftover dirt to help pave damaged and muddy roads in their areas.

Construction soil put to use

Resident Romeo Aboiyme said that he used some of the leftover soil to help pave the path leading to his house.

“We actually asked the engineers if we could use the leftover dirt to pave the roadway to our house because it was very muddy and it would really help my family,” Aboiyme said.

Recalling the trauma his family experienced during typhoon Tino in early November last year, Aboiyme said using the dirt was also one of their ways of preparing for possible flooding,

Recovering after typhoon Tino

He said the typhoon damaged their belongings and washed away his e-bike, which was their only source of income.

This left their family to grapple with significant costs — to refurbish their home and recover their livelihood.

Drainage first, roads next

Barangay Captain Nelson Abellana also shared plans for the barangay beyond the drainage canal project, including the repair of damaged roads leading to Deca and Baybay.

“Regarding the damaged roads leading to Deca and Baybay, I requested the City Mayor for the road to be paved,” Abellana said.

However, Abellana said that the road repairs need to wait until the drainage canals are completed. This would prevent floodwater from weakening newly paved roads.

“But before we could start fixing the roads, we must finish the drainage canals first because if we do the roads without the drainages, floodwater would pile up, causing the asphalt to weaken,” he said.

Safer evacuation centers

Beyond drainage and road repairs, residents are also seeking improvements to evacuation facilities.

Purok leader Mary Annabel Abellana expressed her wish for safer evacuation centers for residents when calamities occur.

“I’m wishing for safer facilities and evacuation centers that can make evacuees comfortable since in every typhoon, the system stays the same,” Abellana said.

As construction continues, residents and barangay officials remain hopeful that the drainage system will be completed despite delays. They also hope that road rehabilitation would follow, to improve the community’s preparedness for future storms and flooding.

Kurt Angelo Bigno, Zinnia Mae P. Manzanades, Hasanor G. Paingco, and Ayeesha A. Macaraya are students of Talisay City National High School’s Special Program in Journalism under Candice Grace Cabras Maque. This report is being published as an extension of student journalism and as part of CDN Digital’s goal of promoting journalism that builds communities in Cebu and beyond.

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