Ang Pahayagan

BATAAN — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) completed the construction of a flood mitigation projects in Hermosa and Orani, Bataan.

The P29.10-million infrastructure in Hermosa was designed to protect agricultural and residential areas against water-related hazards while the Orani flood control structure offers additional protection to low-lying communities in barangay Tapulao.

DPWH Bataan 1st District Engineer Erlindo Flores Jr. highlighted that the project complements the pre-existing flood control structures and the earth dike along the Hermosa Section of the Pulo-Almacen River.

📸 The flood mitigation project in Hermosa, Bataan. (DPWH)

“Our primary objective is to enhance the overall resilience of the area by preventing bank erosions and minimizing its vulnerability to flooding, and with the continuous construction of these concrete river walls, creating a comprehensive defense against potential flooding events, ensuring the safety and protection of the surrounding communities and infrastructure along the riverbanks,” he explained.

Flores added that the structure was not only made to protect the residents from the overflowing of the river but also to prevent the nearby roads from being damaged by flood water.

The project has a total length of 205 lineal meters, a height of 6.7 meters, and has two berms in the middle and top of the concrete revetment.

Meanwhile, the 441.50-linear meter flood control structure in Orani is connected to existing river. The P48.99-million project was funded under the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

📸 The flood control structure which will offer additional protection to low-lying communities at barangay Tapulao in Orani, Bataan. (DPWH)

It will help in alleviating the concerns of residents, most of whom are farmers living near the riverbank, especially during heavy rains and tropical disturbances.

“This type of project not only ensures the safety of locals but also contributes to the protection of farmlands, preventing potential damage to crops caused by river flooding,” Flores added.

DPWH stated that siltation and riverbank erosion along unprotected portions of the Tapulao River causes flooding in the area. This calls for a need for a comprehensive flood management plan in the community of more than 5,000 residents.

It was implemented with the initiative of achieving long-term safety for all and contributing to the reduction of economic losses caused by flooding.(Jag Lyra Costamero -PIA 3)