A BUSINESSMAN who is running for Davao City First District representative is pushing for the construction of a water dam in the city to address the issue of flooding and to provide an additional source of water.

Jamal Kanan said during the Political Education Fora, organized by the Archdiocese of Davao held at the Ateneo de Davao University on Tuesday evening, April 26, that his proposal, which he had long planned, is in response to the floodings experienced in the city during heavy downpours.

He added that the riverbanks in the city overflowed, hence, the need to control the flow of water from the upperlands in Marilog District.

"The solution is we need to make a wall -- a riverwall. We need to block a wall sa (at the) riverside and then from the bottom, we need to control the flow. So we need to make a dam," Kana said.

Kanan said that the dam, which would be the first in Mindanao, will provide "free" water access to all Dabawenyos, and at the same, will be distributed to other areas.

"We will sell, we will make money from the other city. This is what other countries are doing," he added.

Farmers will also be benefiting from this project as the water source for their irrigation will be coming from the dam, Kanan said.

The candidate also said that he will also invest in the construction of a water treatment facility for the dam project.

Meanwhile, another First District representative candidate Maria Victoria “Mags” Maglana, who was present during the event, rebutted Kanan's plans of the dam being a solution to the city's longtime flood problem.

Maglana said previous studies were already made, particularly the Mindanao River System Studies, to determine if constructing a water dam is viable in a certain locality.

"'Yung dam, meron din siyang negatibong epekto sa ating kalikasan. (The dam has negative effects in our ecosystem) It can affect biodiversity, it can affect communities, it can displace communities. Kailangan aralin iyan kung 'yan ang gustong solusyon (We need to study it if we need to achieve that solution)," she said.

She added that flooding is a "wicked" and "complicated" problem that has several factors. Therefore, proposing a water dam must be carefully studied.

Organizers of the fora said incumbent Representative Paolo Duterte and Jovanie Mantawel were also invited, but they did not show up.