The P2.2-billion flood risk management project in Cavite is expected to reduce flood risk to homes and businesses in the province by the fourth quarter this year.
Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary, expressed confidence that the Flood Risk Management Project for Imus River is the most viable solution to mitigate damage on areas vulnerable to flooding in Imus and Bacoor, Cavite.
Currently, the project has physical accomplishment of about 85 percent and is slated to be completed this fourth quarter.
Last Friday, DPWH checked the progress of work for putting up the pre-cast concrete blocks revetment wall at the surrounding dike, overflow dike, drainage sluice, maintenance road, slope protection, and other project components.
Emil Sadain, DPWH undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) operations, said the construction of two reservoir projects located in Brgy. Anabu and Brgy. Buhay na Tubig in Imus City will reduce the flood peak discharges to low-lying part of Imus and Bacoor rivers by temporarily managing flood run-off or stormwater in the off-site retarding basins.
The construction of Imus retarding basin has a detention pond area of about 35 hectares while the Bacoor retarding basin has two temporary storage pond or basin connected by sluiceway for a total area of 9 hectares to contain floodwaters during a storm and reduce the peak volume of flood flow at Imus and Bacoor rivers, added Sadain.
Retarding basins are being constructed to temporarily store most, if not all, of the rainwater run-off during very high rainfall, to absorb and contain flooding in periods of high rain and later release at regulated flow rate.
The project is based on a flood management master plan for Imus River prepared by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The ongoing structural measure is also being funded by JICA under its Official Development Assistance facility and implemented by DPWH-UPMO.
As of June this year, DPWH said it has completed a total of 11,340 flood-prevention, mitigation and control projects, spread all over the country with 7,782 projects in Luzon, 1,752 in Visayas and 1,806 in Mindanao. – Myla Iglesias
