In an attempt to address the flooding situation, Cebu city launched on Saturday a citywide cleanup.

Mayor Michael Rama said this is part of his “Gubat sa baha” program, which strives to mitigate the flooding problem in the city.

All departments and stakeholders participated to clean not just the coastal area but its major river systems.

“We will never stop in this clean up, I will never stop up to the last drop of my blood,” Rama said.

Over the past two months, amid heavy rains and flood, several barangays have been inundated, passengers stranded, and others have lost their homes.

The total number of tons collected today is yet to be consolidated.

Rama said he is planning to issue a new executive order effective October 1 that will penalize those who will attempt to throw their trash anywhere and those who will be contributing to the pollution of the rivers, among others.

“Anyone who is involved in desecrating the environment … Your days are numbered and I mean it,” added Rama.

• More than 1,800 people flee homes as flash floods hit Cebu

He announced that former PNP chief Debold Sinas will be on top of the enforcement of this order. Former DENR secretary Roy Cimatu is also in the city to oversee the cleanup and dredging efforts.

• More than 150 families in Cebu evacuated due to floods

“If we dredge and recover the river, papaliman ang river, para ang ulan na darating dyan pupunta sa river,” Cimatu further said.

During the September 9 flooding, Cebu city tallied 199 damaged houses with over a hundred of it that were totally washed away or current by the current according to the Emergency Operations Center. — Report by Annie Perez