City asks DPWH to fast- track dredging projects

ILOILO CITY – The city government here is asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fasttrack the dredging of the 15-kilometer Dungon Creek earlier reported with P50 million funding to be taken from DPWH’s budget.

The P481 million DPWH advanced funding earlier ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was earmarked for rehabilitation and improvement of selected areas and infrastructures in Western Visayas damaged by last year’s Typhoon Frank. The Dungon dredging project in this city is part of the DPWH rehabilitation budget.

City mayor Jerry P. Treñas said he is requesting the assistance of the Sangguniang Panlungsod to enact three resolutions that will include a request for the DPWH to fasttrack the dredging project in Dungon Creek starting from Brgy. Sambag in Jaro up to Marina Restaurant in Mandurriao district.

The second SP resolution will asks the Senate to fasttrack the approval and release of the P8 billion Paglaum Fund earmarked for rehabilitation and improvement of roads, bridges and other infrastructures damaged by Typhoon Frank in Western Visayas

The third resolution will be asking the DPWH to include in its regular budget the dredging of Buntatala Creek in Jaro, upper Ticud and Mansaya creeks in La Paz and Calajunan Creek in Mandurriao district so as to assure free flow of rainwater and flashfloods.

City councilor Ed Peñaredondo, chairman of the SP Committee on Infrastructures, will sponsor the three resolutions on July 22 city council regular session by asking the DPWH to give priority to the dredging projects in the city’s critical creeks.

Aside from the Dungon Creek, the four other creeks are pinpointed to impede the flow of water during heavy rains and must be dredged so as to allow flashfloods and rainwater to flow freely to the sea.

Treñas said the much awaited Paglaum Fund may come in late for these critical creeks and the dredging projects must be implemented now to assure city residents of free flashfloods like what happened in June 2008.

Dungon Creek spans some 15 kilometers passing 13 barangays in Mandurriao, Jaro and La Paz districts. Residents living along the banks were already told to transfer and relocation at the San Isidro relocation site in Jaro are ready to absorb the informal settlers.

Treñas said the dredged materials from the creek could be used to cover an area of about 7 hectares at the Calajunan dumpsite in Mandurriao district envisioned to become an ecological park.

Similarly, Metrobank has allowed the city government to use its vacant lot near the floodcontrol project in Jaro district to become a stockpile area of soil materials dredged from the floodcontrol project.

The stockpile soil materials could be used for soil covering of the open dumpsite at Calajunan at low lying areas with stagnant water in the barangays such as elementary schools in Brgy. Taal and Tabucan.

By Lydia C. Pendon