DPWH asked to speed up dredging of waterways
Iloilo City government has urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to speed up the implementation of dredging works on Dungon creek in Jaro all the way to the mouth of the Iloilo River in Mandurriao to avert possible flooding with the onset of the rainy season.
In line with this, City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas asked the City Council to pass a resolution requesting DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane to fast track the dredging works on the waterways.
DPWH already bid out the project costing P50million to be sourced out from the P481milion initial release of Paglaum Fund which is allocated for rehabilitation works of the damages left by Typhoon Frank in Western Visayas June last year.
He said the City Council will also pass a resolution requesting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias and DPWH-6 regional director Rolando Asis to include in the budget allocation the dredging works on Buntatala, Ticud, Calajunan and Mansaya creeks and the Iloilo River.
Likewise, the City Council will pass a resolution requesting the Senate to take immediate action on the approval of P8 billion Paglaum Fund for the start of rehabilitation works on damaged areas all over the region in the aftermath of typhoon.
“The creeks and river if not dredged will still create flooding problem particularly during typhoon. There will be improved embankments along the waterway,” Treñas stressed.
Earlier, Asis admitted the delay in the conduct of the dredging works. He attributed the delay to the continued refusal of some residents to move out of the riverbank and transfer to their designated relocation sites and as well as the frequent bad weather.
The dredging works which has a contract period of 240 calendar days will be undertaken by Cebu-based WT Construction.
The contractor was already given the notice to proceed with the dredging works which starts from Magsaysay Village in La Paz until Dungon B in Jaro district. The funding for the dredging of Dungon Creek was sourced out from the 2009 calamity fund of the DPWH since the Paglaum Fund has yet to be released.