By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG Correspondent THE City Disaster Risk-Reduction Management Office has called for public support and for more concerted efforts to unclog the Bitan-ag Creek in order to avoid waist-deep floods in areas near the stateun Mindanao University of Science and Technology (Must) with the start of the rainy season. Speaking during the recent Mediakonek program at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club, city hall social welfare chief Teodoro Sabuga-a who is actively involved in disaster response work, said barangay chairmen and their constituents would need to help because improper waste disposal factors in the floodings. The public works department has started a project to elevate the Bitan-ag Bridge but Sabuga-a said it may not be enough, saying it has been established that garbage thrown into the creek was a major factor for the clog-up, and the resulting swelling of the creek. “Dili man namu ni kaya nga kami ra,” said Sabuga-a.  “Take care of your garbage,” he appealed to residents, and then asked barangay officials to “act on the problem on improper waste disposal instead of just looking at it.” Allan Porcadillo, officer-in-charge of City Disaster Risk-Reduction Management Office, said the garbage problem involves people in barangays Camaman-an, Lapasan, and Barangays 35, 36, 26, 24. Porcadilla said the problem has long been posing a challenge given that there were over 34 thousand families, considered as “informal settlers,” living near Bitan-ag Creek. He said some 10 thousand of these families have been ordered relocated by courts.