Three (3) big-ticket water projects are underway in Western and Central Visayas and Central Mindanao with the recent commencement of consulting services for the preparation of new Flood Risk Management Projects along major river basins of Ala, Ilog-Hilabangan, and Aklan.
In his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said that a kick-off meeting on the project was held on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, and attended by DPWH Unified Project Management Office - Flood Control Management Cluster Project Director Project Director Ramon A. Arriola III, officials and representatives of the Asian Development Bank, project consultants, and various government agencies to discuss initial activities undertaken since consulting services started in January 2023.
The ADB-financed study on flood-control project covers three (3) river basins namely: Allah River in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao; Ilog-Hilabangan River in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental; and Aklan River in Aklan.
“Towards the end of this contract with consulting firms, we will have the Flood Risk Management Master Plan (FRMMP) and Feasibility Study (FS) for the smooth implementation of these three (3) flood-control projects in Visayas and Mindanao,” said Senior Undersecretary Sadain.
“We will be closely-monitoring the study so that we can come up with the appropriate structural and non-structural measures that can mitigate flooding and other damages caused by the overflowing of these major waterways that result to massive flooding and devastation in vulnerable communities,” added Senior Undersecretary Sadain.
Project consultants have so far commenced activities which include field reconnaissance, data collection, field survey and investigation, with inception report submitted in February 21, 2023.
Based on the timeline, the project’s FRMMP will carried out until mid-January 2024, while the Feasibility Study is targeted to be delivered by mid-July 2024 or six (6) months after the submission of FRMMP.