Treñas welcomes congressional probe on flood control project
City Mayor Jerry Treñas welcomes the resolution filed by Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. before the House of Representative calling for a congressional inquiry on the P8 billion Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP).
Treñas, however, hopes that the congressional inquiry would not cause delay in the completion of the multi-billion flood control project which is set to be completed in 2010.
The chief executive even requested to fast track the implementation of four major components in Stage II of the flood control project. He wants the dredging of waterways at the Dungon Creek, Iloilo River, Ingore Creek and Ticud Creek to be included in the Stage I of the project.
Gonzalez's resolution calling for an inquiry on the IFCP's possible role on the massive flood that hit Iloilo City last June 21 was already adopted by the members of the House. However, it has still to pass the committee on rules chaired by 3rd district Representative Arthur Defensor Sr.
In his resolution, Gonzalez said that far from mitigating the floods in Iloilo City, the massive earthworks of the still unfinished project may have disturbed the natural terrain and disrupted the customary passageways of rainwater from the Jaro-Pavia floodplains to the Iloilo Strait, thereby exacerbating further inundation in the city.
The city solon said the flash flood caught the people by surprise and city government officials were totally unprepared for emergency disaster response which has resulted in the death of 24 city residents, thousands of families dislocated, millions of pesos worth of properties destroyed and lost income opportunities, not to mention incalculable sufferings of the people of Iloilo City.