Several residents of Capitol Valley in Brgy. Dao have not completely paid for their acquisition of land in the area delaying the turnover of a dirt road along the village, which has been linked to the death of a toddler due to dengue, to the city government, said an official of the subdivision.

According to Loloy Lafuente, president of the Capitol Valley Homeowners Association, the non-payment has caused setbacks in securing necessary documents to allow the city to acquire and develop the road.

The controversy involving said road was sparked by reports of 20 dengue patients in the village.

The cases which included one fatality were attributed to the lack of an adequate drainage system along the road and pools of water and mud that turn up on said path and near houses during downpours.

Complaints on the muddy and flood-prone road particularly mounted after the death of the 2-year-old grandchild of former councilor Jerry Pabe who lived in the subdivision.

According to the Department of Health and health experts, dengue is prevalent in flood-prone areas while dengue-carrying mosquitoes are common in areas with stagnant water.

For its part, the Tagbilaran City government expressed willingness to help the village on its longstanding plight but noted that it is unable to allocate funds for the development of the road.

Officials had pointed out that allocating money from government coffers for the improvement of a privately owned structure would raise questions from the Commission on Audit.

Lafuente said that he will again identify which homeowners have not submitted complete payments in an effort to come up with measures to formally donate the road to the city.

According to Engr. Piancita Castolo, chief of the City Engineering Office, they will be purchasing pumps to suck out floodwaters in the area.

For now, residents have started to raise money to fund remedies for the issue while contractors in the city have offered to lend equipment for the construction of a temporary drainage system. (Allen Doydora)