Davao institutes measures to address flooding
by Prix D Banzon
Davao City (8 July) -- Flooding is among the pressing issue of the city government of Davao is facing but measures are applied to address this even as investors also expressed their concern on this.
Davao City government administrator Atty. Wendel Avisado at the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City's Café Rysus said the "Canal Brigade" is one measure organized by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to look into this problem.
It may be noted that during heavy rains streets are flooded causing inconvenience to everyone.
But Avisado said the city lately had too much rainfall and citing statistics from Pag-ASA he said for the month of June alone total rainfall was at 391.8 millimeter which is more than the average rainfall from January to May at 168.22 mm.
He said the highest precipitation was on June 6 with 176.4 mm of rainfall. This kind of things dili malikayan nga mobaha diri sa siyudad. (you cannot prevent that the City will be flooded)
The city already warned the residents of throwing garbage anywhere, and of the latest figure on de-clogging creeks and canals about 10,560 cu. m of garbage were remove from 14.4376 kilometers of open canals while others stocked in culverts in 32 flood prone areas of Davao City.
The Canal Brigade, whose operating budget is taken from the city's general fund sourced from the city's regular fund, will remain until such time that they can find permanent solution to the problem.
But Avisado said there are areas with rehabilitated canals and drainage that no longer experience being flooded but still new problem areas emerge.
He said with the influx of development there would be other low lying areas vulnerable to flooding and besides most of the city's culverts are almost 45 years and need replacement.
Although the city through the City Engineer's Office had submitted 18 major areas for improvement and rehabilitation with the P250 million fund, which is part of the P900 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines, these new areas are not part of the drainage project.
Avisado meanwhile opined that the other way to address flooding is to put up dike from Magsaysay Park towards the mouth of the river in Bucana then on the other side to Lizada, Toril. A pumping station should be part of the project together with a flood gate so that excess water could be flushed out.
He said this project has been successful in other areas in Manila. "We are in the stage of that we need to mitigate for future reference." he said. (PIA) [top]
