bucana bridge

IN OUR column yesterday, we said we are not aware of flood control projects in the third congressional district of Davao City.

But yesterday afternoon, we were proven wrong after we saw the news broadcast of the local station of GMA 7. The station’s news crew visited a flood control project, ironically only about 12 kilometers from where we are presently residing.

The project is on a sector of the Talomo River located in Los Amigos, Tugbok District.  And the flood control project was destroyed by a recent flood that rampaged through that body of fresh water that empties somewhere in a beach in Barangay Talomo in the first district.

In explaining to the media why the project was destroyed, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) spokesman Dean Ortiz said the damaged portion was hit by huge debris carried by the flood.

The reason is kind of logical because gigantic debris like tree trunks, or even stone boulders hitting vulnerable – or call it poorly constructed portion – will surely destroy that particular segment of the project.

Spokesman Ortiz immediately added that repair or restoration work on the damaged portion is about to start.

Maybe it is about time that our lawmakers will come up with “innovative” projects to prevent flood control infrastructures from breaking or collapsing when hit by huge debris.

Yes, why don’t they start proposing “flood debris control” projects on top of the usual poor quality flood prevention projects?

If they succeed in legislating such projects they will surely have more sources of “income.” And they, too, can further help increase the number of greedy contractors and government officials amass fortunes out of the taxes paid by the people.

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The DPWH XI has announced that the Bucana Bridge, an important component of the Davao City Coastal Road, is opening very soon.

According to the agency the bridge project is a little more than 94 percent complete. This means the Davaoeños could safely assume that in a matter of months, the Bucana Bridge will be passable.

Indeed, this is a very welcome development. In fact, the accomplishment could possibly help a little in shielding the agency from the very bad review it is getting lately because of the corruption-laden flood prevention projects all over the country.

But what about the status of the phase of the Coastal Road project that runs from Bucana passing through the Piapi shorelines then to the Sta. Ana wharf up to Sasa? What is the percentage of its completion?

It is our take that once the entire length of the Coastal Road project is finished it will be a huge relief from the burgeoning vehicular traffic.

What more if the JICA-funded bypass road that traverses from Bunawan to Buhangin to Tigarto, then below the mountains of Magtuod to Tacunan then to Sirawan in Toril, will be completed and opened to vehicular traffic?

Davoreños will surely witness a downtown Davao City bereft of time-consuming traffic with toxic air to boot.

And if the issue of road-right-of-way now supposedly hindering the flyover projects in Ma-a Diversion Road junction and that of the Diversion Road-Davao Bukidnon Highway in Ulas will be settled and the work on the two projects proceeds, then the city’s travelling population could only  imagine the ease of their travels.

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Councilor Tek Ocampo is contemplating introducing an ordinance that will institutionalize a greenhouse program in the city.

The ordinance, if it gets approved and implemented, will fund the propagation of forest trees to replenish the city’s balding highlands. The proposed measure will also mandate an urban greening program.

Our take on this proposed ordinance is that it must clearly define the role of the community in its implementation, specifically on the aspect of reforestation of the denuded mountains.

If the councilor will not take it against us, we would make certain recommendations to ensure the active participation of the people in the target areas.

We suggest that in the reforestation phase in the highlands, occupants or residents in the areas could be compensated for the work they need to do while ensuring the growth of the seedlings.

We would suggest to Councilor Tek to pass by the road from Magtuod to New Carmen. He’d surely see the big narra, Indian, tugas, and mahogany trees along one side of the road. Not only they provide shade and strengthen the soil on that side of the road, the trees also serve as a bio-fence that prevents erosion and vehicles from falling directly into the deep ravine should accidents occur.

The planting of those trees was a project of our former employer Davao Light and Power Co., and the trees are now 14 years old.

And how did the company ensure that the seedlings were protected and eventually grow to maturity? The company had set aside funds to pay identified residents to take care of the seedlings. The payment is pegged at a certain amount per surviving seedling monitored every six months for three years since planting.

The scheme may need some innovation when the reforestation project will be done in the city’s highlands. And Tek’s measure must include in its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) policies that the engaged community residents must adhere to if they want to be successful as stewards of the re-greening project.

What about that Councilor Tek?