Valenzuela orders fishpond owners to put up dikes

MANILA, Philippines – The Valenzuela city council approved last week an ordinance requiring fishpond owners to construct earth dikes around their property to prevent flash floods.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Alvin Feliciano, compels owners to build earth dikes with a minimum height of 20 feet from the pond bed.

Feliciano, also the local barangay league president, said the ordinance seeks to minimize flooding in the city streets by preventing the overflow of water from the fishponds during heavy rains. 

“The ordinance implementation would benefit not only the residents but the pond owners as well for their stocks would be secured despite flash floods,” he said.

Feliciano said studies showed that one of the major causes of flooding in Valenzuela is due to fishponds being filled beyond their capacity during the rainy season or a prolonged heavy downpour.

Feliciano said the ordinance also requires fishponds near national highways to install earth dikes within a minimum distance of one meter from the road. Fishponds with existing land barriers must also comply with the required height of the embankment, he said.

Violators would be fined P3,000 for the first offense; P5,000 for the second offense; P5,000 and a warning of a lawsuit or suspension of license to operate for the third offense.

Fourth-time violators would face imprisonment of not more than one year or depending on the court’s decision, Feliciano said. – Pete Laude