Puerto Princesa mulls creation of flood control task force

Mayor Bayron meet with the department head and personnel of the City Engineering Department and discussed the ongoing flood mitigating projects including the San Pedro Phase I implemented by administration, and San Manuel Phase I implemented by contract.

The city allocated P120-million for San Pedro flood control project.

The task force will be a special body that will be task to expedite the flood control project’s implementation.

“Kasalukuyang inaayos ang Executive Order para sa Flood Control Task Force na magpapabilis ng coordination pagdating sa permits, approvals, at pag-uusap sa private landowners,” the City Mayor’s Office said in a statement.

The lack of cooperation of some private property owners who have resisted engineering plans to install box culverts going through their properly has caused the delay of the project. The flood control project in San Pedro has started in 2001.

However, as of 2023, more than 80% of the San Pedro flood control project’s cost — P98 million out of the P120 million — had been released. However, as of December 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) observed that the project was only 34.63% completed.

The project was implemented by the city administration as part of its cost-saving measure. In this scheme, the city government bids out supplies such as cement, gravel, sand and steel, among others, and handles the hiring of laborers.

The CMO said that from only two flood control projects, the city government intends to fund and implement 14 more flood control projects, which in line with the City’s Drainage Master Plan. With this proposed infrastructure, it is expected to address flooding in seven flood-prone barangays.

“Dito sa proposed flood control solutions, layunin na maayos ang problema sa mga high-risk areas, kasama ang mga barangay ng San Miguel, Bancao-Bancao, Tiniguiban, San Jose, Tagburos, San Pedro, at San Manuel,”, the CMO said in a statement.