CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – Governor Humerlito A. Dolor has formed a special task force to directly address the problem on flooding that caused widespread destruction in several barangays, particularly in the first district, as an after-effect of the recent typhoons and monsoon rains that crossed the province.
Under Executive order No. 72 of Dolor, the Provincial Task Force Against Flooding was mandated to re-evaluate previous studies and identify solutions against floodings and to coordinate with concerned national agencies and the Regional Development Council of Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region about rehabilitation and development initiatives of the province.
Many areas in the province were submerged in floodwaters when typhoon Quinta hit Mindoro on October 25, followed by four more equally strong storms that turned rivers into seas of murky brown waters and set off deadly landslides.
Dolor said there was an urgent need for intervention to control the floods by initiating studies and identification of short term, medium term and long-term solutions against the natural calamity.
The governor also directed the provincial engineering office to conduct the dredging of a 1.5 kilometer stretch of river in Naujan town despite the absence of a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The DENR has not yet acted on the permit as it was still waiting for the required resolution that has been reportedly pending for four months with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan concerning the dredging operations in Barangays Inarawan and Tagumpay in Naujan, the governor said.
“We cannot wait for another instance where our people will die or their crops will be damaged due to calamity,” the governor said in a recent meeting at the provincial capitol.
“Dudukalin na natin ito ngayon, may permit man o wala, huwag na nating hintayin ang requirement. Dahil lang sa isang papel, libu-libo ang mga taong naaapektuhan. Wala namang iligal o imoral sa gagawin natin,” Dolor said.
The five consecutive typhoons since October have caused massive and destructive floods in several barangays in Oriental Mindoro, most of them previously did not experience flooding.
Dolor appointed Provincial Engineer Edylou B. Tejido as chairman of the task force and the two district engineers, Nestor L. del Rosario (First District) and Annielyn E. Padullo (Second District) as co-chairpersons.