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Friday, January 13, 2006
Japanese lauded for anti-lahar projects
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Multi-sector representatives in Pampanga on Thursday acclaimed the Japanese Government for funding lahar-mitigating projects that helped revive the province from the aftermath of the Mount Pinatubo eruption.
Led by Fr. Resty Lumanlan, Kapampangan sectoral leaders thanked the Japanese Government, especially the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), for assisting various projects that have appeased lahar's effect to Pampanga.
The Kapampangan expressed their gratitude to JBIC and other Japanese agencies during the workshop/seminar on the Pinatubo Hazards Urgent Mitigation Project (PHUMP) organized by the lead implementer Mount Pinatubo Emergency-Project Management Office (MPE-PMO)-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Lumanlan, president of the Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan Inc. (FLKI), said the projects that were undertaken under PHUMP phases I and II helped the province's economic activities to spring back to life after being gravely threatened by the lahar menace.
According to Osamu Murata, JBIC chief representative in its Manila office, the Japanese agency recognizes the Philippines' vulnerability to disaster given its location in the Pacific rim, thus the assistance.
Murata said prior to the Pinatubo eruption, JBIC has already pledged 147 million yen for flood control measures alone and 258 billion yen for 40 projects related to disaster reduction and public safety in the country.
Shortly after Mount Pinatubo erupted and upon the request of the Philippine Government, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) started the preparation of a master plan for the rehabilitation of areas affected by the disaster.
The Jica master plan paved the way for the eventual implementation of PHUMP Phase 1 under JBIC Official Development Assistance.
For PHUMP Phase 1, JBIC allocated some P2.4 billion for projects along the Sacobia-Bamban river basin, including Bamban and Mabalacat bridges. Loan package for the phase was approved in March 1996.
Three years later, loan package for Phase 2 - the Pasig-Potrero River channel portion, with a loan amount of 9.013 billion yen - was approved.
Projects in the phase include dredging of almost 64.3 linear kilometers of rivers, construction of the Third River and improvement of several-linear kilometers of roads.
Although they are still expecting the realization of PHUMP Phases 3 to 5, the Kapampangan leaders, among them Minalin Mayor Edgar Flores, civil society's Catalina Saplala, and representatives from various local government units said project undertaken under Phases 1 and 2 have contributed significantly to containing the damaging effects of the lahar flows in Pampanga. (ABL)
(January 13, 2006 issue)
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