ROXAS City – The call for realization of the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project (PRBIDP) has become louder following the recent massive flooding that devastated several towns in Capiz province.
According to Roxas City mayor Ronnie Dadivas, the city is one with Gov. Fredenil Castro in pushing the project to the national government through the Cabinet secretaries who visited Capiz on Nov. 2 to assess the situation of areas in Western Visayas affected by Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng”.
Local officials believe the PRBIDP is a solution to the flooding.
“Kami nga mga alkalde sa probinsya, sa pagpanguna ni Gov. Fredenil ‘Oto’ Castro, naga-isa sa paghingyu sang bulig sa gobierno nasyunal nga mapatuman na ang Panay River Basin Flood Control Project bangud amo lang gid ini ang mayor nga solusyon sa nagalala nga problema sa pagbinaha sa Roxas City kag Capiz. Kita nagalaum sa ila positibo nga sabat kag solusyon sa aton problema agud nga sa palaabuton, wala na sang pangabuy-anan, kabuhi kag pagkabutang nga madula bangud sa baha,” said Dadivas.
Flood control is one of the most important components of the PRBIDP aside from providing irrigation to approximately 26,000 hectares of rice land in the province.
Under the proposed project, a high dam in Tapaz, Capiz will act as a reservoir and flood mitigation measure especially to the low-lying municipalities of the province.
In partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control plan, the PRBIDP will not only solve hunger and improve rice production but will also lessen the negative impact of flooding, especially to the rice farmers, during rainy season.
As a response, the Cabinet secretaries – National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairperson and National Defense secretary, senior undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr.; Interior secretary Benjamin C. Abalos; DPWH secretary Manuel M. Bonoan; Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator, Usec. Raymundo B. Ferrer; and Department of Social Welfare and Development undersecretary Allan Tanjusay – in a meeting with local chief executives of the province, discussed that they will find ways to look for the project’s fund.
Uswag Ilonggo party-list’s Cong. Jojo Ang and Capiz 1st District’s Cong. Emmanuel Billones, who also joined the meeting, assured support to the flood control project.
“Hugot ang amon pagpati nga ini nga proyekto amo ang nagapanguna nga solusyon sa malapnagon nga pagbaha sa Roxas City kag 16 ka kabanwahanan. Kon matigayon maprotektahan naton ang pagkawasi sang madamo nga kabuhi kag malikawan ang daku nga kahalitan sa pangabuy-anan, sektor sang agrikultura, pangisdaan kag propiedad sang aton kasimanwa,” Dadivas added.
Meanwhile, according to OCD-6 regional director Jose Roberto Nuñez, from P19 billion in 2018, the project cost now has increased to P22 billion.
He added that on Nov. 18, they will conduct a separate meeting with local officials of Capiz to discuss the project and possible fund sources./PN
