Thursday, July 07, 2005
Rains bar flood control plan
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 has so far completed two of five flood control projects scheduled for implementation in Cebu City this year.
Engineer Ruben Bacal-so admitted that since the rains have started, the implementation of P1.5 million worth of projects in Barangays Apas, Luz and Mabolo was affected. Bacalso works with the flood control division of the first engineering district of DPWH 7, which covers Cebu City.
However, drainage construction projects in Barangays Apas and Luz, worth P500,000 each, minimized the spillover of floodwater to the roads, specifically along San Jose dela Montaña St. and the entrance to the Central Command, during the recent heavy rains.
So far, they have only completed the drainage construction projects in Barangays Pit-os and Bacayan last month. Work proceeded in phases, based on the release of the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) of Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north), Bacalso said.
Another P500,000 project, the riprapping of the Mabolo Creek, is also ongoing.
Bacalso revealed that the contractors began the construction work without the notices to proceed (NTP), which is a requirement for government projects.
“They are working at their own risk because they don’t want the rains to affect the work,” he said.
The NTP is a requirement for the Department of Budget and Management to release payment for the projects to the winning bidder.
Bacalso said they began the construction upon the request of the barangay captains, who were worried about the damage that floods might cause.
However, projects had to be scheduled for implementation to meet bidding procedures.
For the city’s south district, five flood control projects were completed last year.
These were the drainage construction in Barangay Sawang Calero, worth P500,000; the riprapping and slope protection project in Barangays Kalunasan and Tagba-o, worth P100,000 and P500,000 respectively; the riprapping of two areas of the Bulacao River, worth P500,000 each; the riprapping of Guadalupe River, worth P1 million; and the drainage construction project in Barangay Quiot, worth P500,000.
Bacalso said the projects were completed in June, November and December 2004, with the PDAF of Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south). (CYR)
(July 7, 2005 issue)
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