Japan donates P5B for Oro river control project

THE Cagayan de Oro City Government is set to embark on a river control project after the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) pledged to provide P5 billion to fund its construction.

Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe and other officials of Jica recently met with Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano and said they will extend help so the city can get back to its feet and move forward after the devastation wrought by Tropical Storm Sendong.

Emano said the river control project is just one of the many projects of the city aimed at preventing future floods.

“Jica will do all the works in providing us with a better river control project starting early next year,” he said.

Aside from the P5-billion river control project, Jica also donated at least 500 houses for the survivors of Sendong. These houses will be constructed at a relocation site in Barangay Balubal.

Councilor Alexander Dacer, chair of the City Council committee on urban poor, said the houses are made of pre-fabricated materials from Japan.

“The houses will be mounted by Habitat for Humanity Foundation and are expected to be finished before the one year anniversary of Sendong in December,” Dacer said.

He said aside from Jica, there are still companies willing to donate houses for the flood survivors. (NJM)