The Office of the Building Official has ordered developers and contractors of ongoing constructions in Makati—include 47 high-rise building—to regularly declog the drains around their job sites to prevent floods.
Mayor Abby Binay directed acting city engineer and OBO chief. Engineer Elmer Acuesta to issue a memorandum calling the builders’ attention to residues of construction materials clogging the drains.
“We issued the directive following frequent floods near construction sites, despite regular maintenance of our drainage system and waterways by our city engineering personnel,” Acuesta said.
The OBO also required developers and contractors to submit a maintenance report every month to the city Department of Engineering and Public Works’ district offices until the completion of the projects.
“All concerned entities should strictly comply with the directive by regularly clearing their project sites of all construction debris, including concrete mixtures, soil, gravel and sand,” he said.
Acuesta said his office will issue a work stoppage order to those who fail to comply with his memorandum dated Sept. 13, 2016. He said random checks will be conducted at construction sites by a team of engineers and pesonnel from the enforcement division of the OBO and DEPW, in coordination with barangay officials.
“We expect the full cooperation and support of all concerned in keeping our drainage system free-flowing to keep our streets flood-free, and also prevent the spread of water-borne diseases like dengue and leptospirosis,” Acuesta said.
