Anticipating the adverse effect on hundreds of families by the government’s flood mitigation project in Cavite Economic Zone, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has finalized a planned construction of housing units with the National Housing Authority (NHA) in the province.
Expected areas to be affected when the DPWH flood mitigation project begins are the cities of Imus and General Trias, as well as the municipalities of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario.
These areas are vulnerable to flooding but are considered a strategic position when it comes to economic development, according to DPWH Secretary Roger G. Mercado.
At least 569 houses are expected to be affected when the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project (CIA-FRIMP). Those who would be affected would be relocated to an 8-hectare proposed resettlement site in Noveleta.
The relocation of the affected residents was formalized with the signing of memorandum of agreement between the DPWH and the National Housing Authority (NHA). The MOA will allow the DPWH to receive from NHA much needed technical assistance, support, and expert advice in the construction of resettlement housing units.
As for the planned construction of the resettlement site, this would include residential land development, road and drainage works, embankment and slope protection works, laying down of water supply pipelines and electric posts wiring, and other community facilities.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the flood mitigation project is a combination of structural and non-structural measures for the San Juan River Basin, Rio Grande River, and Ylang-Ylang River and drainage improvement for the catchment area of the Maalimango Creek that will reduce the disaster and flood damage risks.
It also complements the recently completed Imus and Bacoor retarding basins.
The two reservoir projects at Barangay Buhay na Tubig and Barangay Anabu in Imus will contain floodwaters during a storm and reduce the peak volume of flood flow in low-lying parts of Imus River and Bacoor River.
The procurement process for civil works contractor of CIA-FRIMP has already started and actual construction works of relocation site and main flood control project is aimed to begin by the first and second quarter of 2022, respectively.
The river improvements of the Rio Grande River and Ylang-Ylang River are proposed with total 7 kilometer length while the proposed San Juan Diversion Channel as structural river flood mitigation project has a length of 2.44 kilometer and 75.5 meter width connecting the confluence of Ylang-Ylang River and Rio Grande to Manila Bay.