The Embassy of Japan's Minister for Economic Affairs, Mr. Tomochika Uyama, will attend the groundbreaking of the Project for Flood Disaster Mitigation in Camiguin Island on Thursday, January 7. The project is funded by ODA grant aid amounting to 1.013 billion yen (approximately 500 million pesos) from the Government of Japan and covers the Hubangon and Pontod River basins in Camiguin Island, which is among the Mindanao and Visayan Islands.
The entire project, which will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), will include the construction of two (2) Sabo dams, barriers to prevent landslides, along Pontod River and the reconstruction of Hubangon Bridge, which forms part of the peripheral/national road and spans across the Hubangon River.
Camiguin Island suffered much loss and damage during Typhoon Nanang in November 2001 which resulted in approximately 250 dead and missing as well as estimated damages of over five million US dollars. After this disaster, the Basic Plan for non structural disaster prevention measures was formulated with Japanese cooperation, which cover the warning system, the evacuation drill and the educational campaign on disaster prevention. However, the Hubangon and Pontod river basins, which suffered the most serious damage, were not covered in any structural disaster prevention plan and the damaged bridge has not been rehabilitated yet. Presently, rising sediment on the riverbed heightens the risk of similar disasters caused by intense rainfall.
This project aims to improve the standard of living in Camiguin through the enhancement of security and reliability of its main highway and the development of its flood control system.
In the past, Japan provided various forms of ODA to the Philippines, from grants and loans to technical cooperation and development studies. Japan has actively supported all of the country's major flood control projects for the past 30 years.
