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BY GILBERT S. BAYORAN
The Ministry of Public Works and Highways reported that it has completed the P44.9 million flood defense structure along the Dapdap River in flood-prone Brgy. Punta Mesa, Manapla, Western Negroes.
The lives, property and livelihoods of people in the Punta Mesa coastal barangay in Manapla, Negros Occidental are now safer from flooding, the DPWH said in a statement it issued.
Executed by DPWH-Negros Occidental 1st District Engineering Office, the top wall project involves the construction of a 1.16-kilometer long, 3-meter-tall stone masonry structure at a budget of P44.9 million.
As reported by OIC District Engineer Dene. Baldonado, Jr. told DPWH 6 regional director Nerie Bueno that the completed structure will reduce potential damage that can be caused by flooding and riverbank erosion.
“This covering wall will protect the riverbanks from erosion and prevent possible water overflow, especially during these days when we are experiencing a series of typhoons and rainstorms,” Bueno said in the issued statement.
“This structure will not only protect approximately 8,000 residents of Punta Mesa’s coastal barangay, but also the people of neighboring barangays, making them safer even during heavy rains,” Bueno said.
Punta Mesa is one of the coastal barangays in the city of Manapla in northern Negros Occidental, prone to flooding due to the presence of various bodies of water, including the Strait of Guimaras to the west.
Typhoons and floods also contribute to the rise in water levels along the river, posing a threat to people, their property and livelihoods.
“It is one of our priorities to ensure that people who live near rivers, streams and other bodies of water are protected from potential damage from flooding, erosion or flooding. DPWH continues to work with other partner agencies and stakeholders to deliver quality infrastructure projects and services for the benefit of those around us,” emphasized Bueno.*
