BACK ON TRACK
Phase 2 of Iloilo flood control project to start 2 nd quarter

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

It seems that the “floating” Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP) has the chance to be completed.

Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) chief Roy Firmeza told reporters that in a recent Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) noted of a P320 million budget for the Phase II of the project.

Firmeza cited the project would be continued after the second quarter of the year. He added that resettlement sites and facilities for the 2,703 Project Affected Families ( PAFs ) of Phase 1 and the 317 households of Phase 2, are being developed.

The city government has also a counterpart fund of P100 million. Earlier, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas discussed with President Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo the reported cancellation of the national government of the P3.6 billion project, mainly due to lack of funds.

After their talk, Treñas expressed that Arroyo had assured that the IFCP would be pushed through. The project, which has been delayed for quite sometime, is also funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

Treñas cited the city is now on the process of utilizing the National Housing Authority (NHA)'s Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) amounting to about P63 million for the development of relocation site for families affected by the project.   

With regards to the construction, Treñas pointed out that land acquisition will go on while the civil works would be delayed. The mayor hopes there would be enough funds to finance the project soon.

Treñas is also optimistic that the project would only be postponed while the resettlement area is already in place. “It should not stop there,” he said adding that other plans are the construction of main floodway and rehabilitation of Iloilo river and creeks.