The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed a flood mitigation structure to safeguard a coastal community in Baganga, Davao Oriental, from water-related hazards.
DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, based on a report from DPWH Regional Office 11 Director Juby B. Cordon, said that the completed flood control in Barangay Central is a 220-lineal-meter concrete revetment wall with paved road built on a steel sheet pile foundation.
The P67.5-million project also included the installation of 1.72-lineal-kilometer concrete lined canals for drainage, 696 pieces of hexapods to prevent the scouring of foundations and underwater structures, and 11 solar LED street lights for safety of pedestrians and motorists using the roadway.
Barangay Central, which is situated at the mouth of Baganga River draining in Baganga Bay, hosts a number of public establishments and government offices such as primary and secondary schools; hospitals and municipal health centers; police and fire stations, and public market.
According to Secretary Bonoan, its location in an estuary and status as Baganga’s town center make the construction of such protective structure in the community vital in boosting its defense against calamities.
The project, which was started in May 2023 and completed in January 2024, was implemented by the DPWH Davao Oriental First District Engineering Office (DEO), with funding sourced from the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).