Flood mitigation project status satisfies Japan

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — Japan Ambassador Toshinao Urabe visited this city the other day to see for himself the condition of the flood mitigation project, which was funded by the Japanese government under its Official Development Assistance.

Urabe, after visiting the project site, was impressed. “The project is efficient,” he said as he lauded the maintenance works of the city government and the Department of Public Works and Highways on the project.

The ambassador further expressed his satisfaction that the ODA projects in Ormoc, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and built with Japanese technology—the three slit dams (Anilao, Biliboy and Malbasag), and the river improvement works in Anilao and Malbasag rivers—were all properly taken care of.

Assistant district engineer Irwin Antonio, of the DPWH 4th Leyte Engineering District, told The Freeman that he was surprised by the unexpected visit of Urabe. “Every five years, the Japanese usually comes to monitor/evaluate or just to look at the project. Teachers, retirees, artists come here because the project was funded from their taxes,” he said.

“This visit though was technical in nature and with the presence of Ambassador Urabe we were able to thank the government of Japan by personally showing him how we treasured their assistance,” he said.

After the turnover of the flood mitigation project from DPWH-Project Management Office for Major Flood Control Projects to the city government, the Ormoc City Flood Mitigation Committee (FMC) was created. From then on, the city and DPWH shared the responsibilities in maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of structures and other facilities.

Chaired by the mayor, the FMC evaluates, monitors, coordinates, informs and recommends appropriate maintenance works to concerned agencies, collects data and conducts regular monitoring to the rivers of Anilao and Malbasag.

The city government also allocates P2 million yearly, through the approved supplemental memorandum of agreement for maintaining the efficiency of the project.   

The JICA-funded project is a grant-aid and is a model for other areas. The slit dams could not be found anywhere else and FMC programs of community involvement, social awareness—contributing to the efficiency and economic aspects of the projects—are major factors to avert disasters. - THE FREEMAN