TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Department of Public Works and Highways – Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office (DPWH-LKDEO) bared the partial gains in the put up of the multi-billion Chico River mega dike project which is geared towards effectively and efficiently addressing the perennial flooding in the lower parts of the city and nearby Pinukpuk town.
DPWH-LKDEO officer-in-charge Engr. Ruby Uyam stated that since 2017 when the public works department started providing an annual P100 million for the multi-year major infrastructure project in the province, some 3 kilometers of the proposed dike on the left side and more than 1 kilometer on the right-side portion were completed.
Under the concept of the Chico River mega dike, the public works department intends to build an 18-kilometer long and 300-meter wide dike in strategic portion of the region’s major river system to prevent the perennial flooding that affect farmlands in the flood-prone communities.
Further, the DPWH-LKDEO official claimed that there is also an ongoing feasibility study to support the provision of the bulk of the funds for the project by the Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA) or the Korea International Cooperating Agency (KOICA) to complete the priority development project beneficial to the interest of the greater majority of the populace.
According to her, the people in charge of the feasibility study already visited the province thrice to gather the needed data from the concerned government agencies and local governments which they could use in the completion of the study to justify the acquisition of funding support from international financial institutions for the immediate realization of the mega dike project.
DPWH-LKDEO officials expressed hope that the results of the study will be favorable for the acquisition of the funding support so that more works will be implemented for the immediate completion of the project that will have a significant impact in addressing the perennial flooding in the lower barangays of the city and its neighboring town of Pinukpuk.
District Engineer Uyam lauded the unrelenting and uncompromising efforts of Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang in following up the provision of funds by the public works department to jumpstart the implementation of the project while awaiting the provision of more funds through the funding support that will be obtained from international funders.
Aside from the put up of the mega dike along strategic portions of the Chico River, other plans in the area is for the put up of the proposed government and business centers and an air strip that will help boost the economic activities in the province as Tabuk City and Kalinga is being eyed as the future regional growth center of the Cordillera.
Uyam explained that over the past 4 years, the annual P100 million provided for the project was able to complete approximately 1 kilometer of the dikes on both portions of the river system although the works that were accomplished are still considered minimal comparing to the supposed 18-kilometer dike that will be constructed in the said project site. By HENT
