With the expected massive rehabilitation of the city’s infrastructures, the Quezon City government ordered contractors to clear and remove construction debris from the work sites as a precaution against another massive flooding in the city.

Earlier, Quezon City said it has set aside P500 million for the repair of dilapidated flood control facilities and other government structures recently damaged
by tropical storm “Ondoy.’’

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ordered officials of the Quezon City Engineering Department (QCED) to brief prospective contractors on maintaining the cleanliness of construction sites with more heavy rains expected in the metropolis.

He also directed his men to make the rounds of construction sites of ongoing and newly-completed infrastructure projects to ensure that contractors strictly follow the directive, citing that construction debris poses danger to motorists and commuters and is blamed mainly for heavy flooding due to the strong water current that brought waste materials to the inlets and drainage systems.

Weather experts earlier said that several typhoons are expected to hit the country including Metro Manila up to December this year.

Joselito Cabungcal, chief of the QCED, explained that flooding cannot be totally prevented especially during continuous heavy rains due to several factors like rapid industrialization and increasing number of paved roads.

However, he clarified that efficient engineering works quicken the receding time of flashfloods as water subsides very slowly when the inlets and the drainage mains are blocked and clogged by construction debris and garbage.

Cabungcal said his office has targeted its priorities not only on newly completed road projects but also ongoing projects to ensure that safety gadgets and warning signs are prominently displayed for public viewing.

He instructed the contractors of soon-to-be finished infrastructure projects to place their construction materials like stockpiles, gravel and sand in places that do not put the lives of the public in danger. He warned the city’s contractors to abide by the directive saying that he will submit the list of stubborn and non-complying contractors to the mayor for proper disposition.

“Pag minamalasmalas baka ma blacklist pa sila ni mayor kung patuloy silang susuway sa utos na linisin at hakutin na nila agad kanilang tambak sa kanilang natapos na project. Wag nilang sabihing di ko sila pinaalalahanan,’’ Cabungcal warned.

As this developed, Quezon City approved an ordinance granting a P1,000 quarterly rice allowance to the city’s regular employees starting 2010.

Belmonte said it is his administration’s desire to alleviate the economic plight of city hall workers especially when majority of them are still reeling from the effects of tropical storm “Ondoy’’.

He added the quarterly rice assistance to regular city hall employees will ease the financial burden off the public’s shoulders with the widespread economic crisis, prolonged high cost of rice, continued increase in price of prime commodities and other difficulties causing sudden global and national economic slump.

Quezon City Council Majority Floor Leader Ariel Inton said the budget amounting to P10 million may be taken from the personal service fund or from any other available funds from the city government’s 2010 annual budget.

Inton thanked Belmonte for the approval of the ordinance, citing “its timeliness to present day circumstances’’ as millions of regular city hall employees are in the process of rebuilding lives and finances in the aftermath of the calamity.