City's P5M declogging machine now in operation
The P5 million declogging machine recently purchased by the city government is expected to help improve the flow of water in the drainage canals. The clogged canals constrict the flow of water which contributes to flooding even in the major streets.
The declogging machine is already at the City Engineers Office (CEO). "There are already personnel from the engineering office who are being trained to handle the equipment before its full operation starts," said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The equipment is similar to the declogging machine lent by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to the city government after the city was devastated by Typhoon Frank. The city government is eyeing to buy additional equipment for its need, said Treñas.
Initially, the city is considering the districts of Jaro and City Proper as priority areas in the clearing operations. The district of Jaro is the most affected district in the city when typhoon strikes. Aside from the clogged drainage system, the rain waters coming from the Aganan and Tigum River passes Jaro district.
In the city, Brgy. Tanza-Esperanza was placed in the top of the list for its bad state of drainage system. During heavy rains, the area is easily flooded because of its clogged drainage system. Previous reports from the city government showed that plastic bags and other wastes dumped in the canals affect the flow of water. The city already made an advisory to city residents to refrain from throwing their plastic bags and other waste materials in the canals.
Treñas said they are also looking for a place to unload all the silts retrieved from the canals. Silts and other materials collected from the different canals must be disposed properly by the engineer's office to prevent it from coming back into the drainage system.