Mega dike project-affected residents may not be compensated

SOME 500 households, deemed to be affected by the flood mitigation project, are worried that the government will not provide them compensation since they do not have land titles.

Councilor Zaldy Ocon, chairperson of the committee on public works and engineering, is seeking answers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), saying this problem might cause more unnecessary delay to the project that started after Typhoon Sendong in 2011.

"Dili mabayaran ang uban kay dili man actual nga tag-iya sa yuta. Ang bayaran sa gobyerno kadto lang naay titulo (Some might not be paid because they are not the actual owners of the land. The government will only compensate those with land titles)," Ocon said.

"We need to address this kay malangan napud ang proyekto (as the project might be stalled again)," he added.

The P11-billion peso mega-dike project was designed to save thousands of lives along the banks of Cagayan de Oro River since the deadliest typhoon hit the city.

Ocon has invited officials of the DPWH in his committee to give the public an update on the project.

The National Government has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to implement a dike and other flood protection measures around the river basin to address flooding problems, and contribute to sustainable economic development in Northern Mindanao areas.

Cagayan de Oro was severely battered by Tropical Storm Sendong in 2011, affecting 1,170 people, with about 1,250 casualties.

In its website, Jica said the Cagayan de Oro River Basin is one of the 18 major rivers in the Philippines and was also among the 56 priority river basins identified by the Philippine government under the Jica-assisted Nationwide Flood Risk Assessment and Flood Mitigation Plan in Selected Areas 2006-2008.