QC LGU warns vs. structures near waterways after back wall falls in Culiat

A back wall inside a subdivision in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City collapsed amid heavy rains over the weekend, prompting the local government to warn against building structures near waterways.

Reports indicated that an entire fence fell over the creek at the other side of Union Village’s perimeter wall and into several houses of informal settlers nearby.

No one was reported hurt.

“This is a grim reminder to all structure or building owners to keep the rivers and connecting creeks clear, clean and free from any form of obstruction. We cannot disregard our existing laws and leave everything to chance,” Atty. Dale Perral, city government’s Department of the Building Official (DBO) head, said.

“The law strictly prohibits the construction of any structure along the waterways or on top of ripraps or retaining walls since it is unsafe and poses imminent danger to life and limb of QCitizens,” he added.

The DBO official reminded property owners to avoid constructing along easements of waterways and creeks for these are non-buildable areas and danger zones.

He added that concerned property owners will also be notified on the said matter to give them time to “voluntarily tear down encroachments in easements of waterways, before the department undertakes any demolition.”

Meanwhile, the city government’s engineering team started removing the debris from the collapsed wall over the weekend.

Assistant City Engineer Robert Lui Beltran said the city had already cleared 80 percent of the rubble.

He said that the LGU would immediately construct a retaining wall to replace the collapsed structure.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte ordered the City’s Housing Community Development And Resettlement Department (HCDRD) to prioritize and allocate housing units for the affected 14 informal settler families. —NB, GMA News