Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar formally inaugurated on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 the newly constructed flood protection dike aimed to mitigate flood damage in high-risk areas in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental.
Assisting Secretary Villar during the unveiling of the marker of the new dike were Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations and Technical Services Emil K. Sadain, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, DPWH Project Director Patrick Gatan of UPMO Flood Control Management Cluster (UPMO-FCMC), and local officials of the province of Misamis Oriental led by Governor Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano.
Also present during the event were Assistant Secretary for the Office of the Secretary and Special Concerns Eduardo S. Ramos, Jr; UPMO Project Directors Virgilio C. Castillo, Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim, Johnson V. Domingo, Gil Villanueva; Project Managers Rodrigo Delos Reyes, Rogelio Ang, Alejandro Sosa, Lydia Barsolaso and Leonila Mercado; DPWH Region 10 Director Zenaida Tan and Assistant Director Rey Peter Gille; and DPWH Support Services Director Michael Villafranca and Rodil Millado, and Engr. Edwin Matanguihan of Bureau of Design.
Secretary Villar commended the DPWH UPMO for the completion of the flood control structure that will not only protect residents of the Municipality of Tagoloan and its neighboring coastal areas from serious flooding but will also provide opportunities for development in the area.
“The completion of Tagoloan Flood Control Project is very timely, makakatulog na ng mahimbing at walang pangamba ang ating mga kababayan sa Misamis Oriental sapagkat alam nilang ligtas na sila sa banta ng mataas na baha,” Secretary Villar said.
The Tagoloan River Basin Flood Control Project is one of the flood risk management projects implemented by DPWH UPMO-FCMC to mitigate flood damage in vulnerable areas within the three principal river systems of Lower Cagayan, Imus, and Tagoloan.
Funded through a loan agreement from JICA, the P778-million flood control structure involves the construction of a 692-meter upstream and 1.9-kilometer downstream revetment structures as well as excavation works and drainage improvement.
“We would like to thank the Government of Japan for their continued support in the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program that aims to provide quality and safe infrastructure facilities to propel national economic growth,” Secretary Villar added.
The Tagoloan River Flood Control Project utilized geotube with net gabions and sand filled mattress during construction which are durable and cost-effective materials.
During flooding, sluiceway will drain water gathered in the drainage and stop backflow from the river channel by closing the gate while the adapted flexible joints will prevent the cracking and breakage of box culvert structure during ground settlement.