DPWH drafting master plan of flood control projects

10/18/2009

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is drafting a master plan to construct 12 more multibillion-peso flood control and drainage projects nationwide.

DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis said the department has identified 12 key river basins in different parts of the country where big deluges were likely to happen.

He said studies were presently being conducted to determine the feasibility of building flood control projects in those areas.

Asis said the DPWH wants to be pro-active in planning out for the occurrence of big floods, earthquakes and other calamities. The planning is being stepped up after the government’s experience with Typhoon “Ondoy,” which had recently wrought extreme damage to infrastructure and agriculture by causing massive floods in Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces.

After Typhoon Ondoy, Typhoon “Pepeng” followed and added to the destruction rendered by the former storm and caused the death of more than 300 persons.

Asis said the DPWH is completing its first major flood control project in Iloilo City.

In Region 6, the plan includes the construction of a flood control project in the Aklan River in Numancia town, Aklan.

In the proposed master plan prepared by the DPWH, the areas needing flood control and drainage projects under “Package 1” include Agos in the Calabarzon Region (Region 4A), Yawa/Basud/Quirangay in the Bicol Region (Region 5) and Amburayan in the Ilocos Region (Region 1) and the Cordillera Administrative Region or CAR.

Meanwhile, areas under “Package 2” include Balete in Mimaropa (Region 4-B), Aklan River in Western Visayas (Region 6) and Dungcaan (Pagbangaan) in Eastern Visayas (Region 8).

Under the plan’s “Package 3” are Guinabasan in Central Visayas (Region 7), Lake Mainit-Tubay in Caraga (Region 13) and Iponan in Northern Mindanao (Region 10).

Under “Package 4” are Tumaga in the Zambonga Peninsula (Region 9), Lipadas in the Davao Region (Region 11) and Silway-Popong-Sinaual (Polomolok town) in Soccsksargen (Region 12).

These major river basins have been chosen because of their frequency of overflows, bank collapse, landslides and flash floods, Asis said. PNA

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