DENR-7 Urges Cebu LGUs, Organizers to Prepare for Floods During APEC Meets

(PNA) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 has urged local government units (LGUs) and organizers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit meetings in Cebu to prepare for flooding during the international event which starts on August 28.

”We’re expecting episodes of rain that’s why we are strongly urging LGUs and the APEC organizing committee to consider the necessary preparations in case of intense and prolonged rains and subsequent flooding,” Dr. Eddie Llamedo, DENR 7 spokesperson, said.

Llamedo said most of the streets that will be used for APEC are “either high to moderate or high to very high flooding susceptible.”

”Based on historical data from PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), heavy rains are dumped in August,” he said.

Some 3,200 delegates are expected to attend a series of senior ministerial meetings in Cebu starting next week.

The venues are hotels in the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu.

One of the venues, the Radisson Blue Hotel, is situated near the SM City Cebu at the Cebu City north reclamation area which is known to experience flooding during heavy rains.

There are no expected problems of flooding in other venues such as the Marco Police Plaza Hotel which is in Nivel Hills overlooking Cebu City and in the Shangrila’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

Earlier, the DENR urged LGUs to review the geohazard maps distributed to them to determine areas and routes that are considered flood-prone. (PNA)LAP/EB