TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Khadaffy D. Tanggol, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently inspected two ongoing flood control (FC) projects implemented by their regional office in this municipality.
Accompanied by the RO technical division chiefs and Inspectorate Team, Tanggol personally checked the progress of the flood control structures being constructed along the right and left banks of the Chico River located in Barangay New Tanglag.
Chico River is the longest and most elaborate river system in the grand Cordillera Mountain ranges that form the backbone of Northern Luzon. During heavy downpour, the area on both banks of the multi-channel river basin becomes susceptible to flooding.
Funded under the 2023 department’s Regular Infrastructure Program, both projects are prioritized as immediate flood control mitigation structures to prevent bank collapse and flooding along residential and agricultural areas within the said barangay.
The PhP 144.4 million mega dike project located at the right bank of the river, includes excavation for the foundation bed with a total length of 718.00 ln.m. and a 7-meter-high slope protection embankment.
On the other hand, the second project situated at the left bank, with an allocation of PhP 144 Million has a length of 647.00 ln.m. The scope of work consists of the construction of the revetment and embankment and will also include channeling of the river.
Based on the timeline, the two FC projects will be carried out until the end of December of 2023. According to Tanggol, the security brought by the structures will greatly benefits local farmers by preventing low yield of vegetable crops due to soil erosion caused by surplus of water from the river, while at the same time ensuring safety of residents from adverse effects of swamping especially as the typhoon/rainy season has already begun.
The inspection was joined by Upper Kalinga DPWH District Engineer Teodoro O. Owek, Lower Kalinga District Engineer Ruby A. Uyam, Construction Division Chief Clifton D. Valencerina, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division Chief Leo T. Mustard, Equipment Management Chief Oscar G. Guya, Planning and Design OIC Asst. Chief Juliet W. Chan, Project Engineers Jerome Miranda and Doreen Wooden and other technical personnel from both district engineers and the regional office. By DPWH-CAR
