THE ongoing dredging at the Panay River is just one of the interventions to address the flooding in Capiz while the feasibility study (FS) for the Panay River Integrated Development Project is being updated.

"We will just jumpstart anything that could lessen the silt loads or sediment deposits to help increase the flow and storage capacity of the river," said Engr. Al Fruto, Public Works and Highways Assistant Regional Director, in an interview on Friday.

A ceremonial activity was held last week to officially start the project, he added.

The desiltation project will be from the mouth of Barangay Punta Barra going to Barangay Punta Cogon, which is around 13 kilometers.

Although, there is no available data on the volume of siltation to be removed, officials said the area has been often hit by flooding, especially during typhoons.

Fruto said the Barra point is the second outfall of the river, where water diverges going to Roxas City.

"Maybe we can establish a pilot channel where we can cover 20 to 30 meters to allow the water to flow freely," he said.

Fruto said that their Bureau of Equipment has released to the regional office a dredger that was deployed to Capiz, specifically to dredge the Panay River.

It’s a suction type but bigger than the one deployed at the Iloilo River in Iloilo City, he added.

He said that while waiting for funds intended for the operating expenses of the dredger, the provincial government of Capiz and the city government of Roxas assumed the incidentals, including fuel and oil to jumpstart the activity.

Fruto said that flooding has been a perennial problem in Capiz which was highlighted during Typhoon Paeng when even the Iloilo-Capiz old route at the mountainside was no longer passable.

The flood control component of the Panay River Integrated Development Project may not be implemented earlier than 2025.

Another component of the project is the construction of high dams that will be undertaken by the National Irrigation Administration.

“The two projects go hand-in-hand because, in Capiz, your irrigable area is also your flooded area. So both have to be addressed,” Fruto said. (PNA)