DPWH OKs P5.5B Tabuk flood control project

TABUK CITY, Kalinga: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will spend P5.5-billion - ing from the Chico River that has been threatening lives and destroying agricultural lands and government infrastructure in the barangay (villages) and Pinukpuk town.

During typhoon “Lawin” in 2016, floods from the river destroyed some 87.5 hectares of prime rice lands here which were either eroded or silted.

- ers in Pinukpuk, for several years.

Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang who initiated the project said that a lot of money has already been spent on stop gap measures to con it is high time that a permanent solution be put in place.

He presented a project proposal to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar last November with an estimated cost of P3.5 – P4-billion but the final cost reached P5.5- billion after the plans were completed.

The main component of the project is a 300-meter wide channel from Barangay Calanan in this city to barangay Camalog of Pinukpuk, about 18 kilometers away.

Mangaoang the project will also reclaim previously eroded lands between the channel and the titled property line to be used for tourism, eco-tourism and location for government facilities including an airstrip.

The project started last August with initial funding of P130- million.

Eugene Michael Espita, Lower Kalinga District Engineering Of Section said that as designed, the easement of the megadike, which is among the project components, will be 300 meters wide at the bottom and seven meters in height with eight- inch thick concrete revetment protected by steel sheet piles to form the walls of the channel.

With about 10,000 hectares irrigated ricelands, Tabuk City is known as the rice granary of the Cordillera.