Officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and local government leaders of Cagayan de Oro City formally inaugurated a major component of the ₱8.549 billion Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan de Oro River (FRIMP CDOR) in Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan together with Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Second Secretary Akito Kinoshita representing Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa, JICA Senior Representative Yanagiuchi Masanari representing JICA Philippines Office Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy, Congressman Lordan Suan (Cagayan de Oro City 1st District) and Congressman Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District) spearheaded the ceremony for the completion of the ₱3.138 billion FRIMP CDOR Contract Package 2 – Consolacion, composed of floodwall structure with river boulevard and static sand compaction piles and reinforced concrete pipe culverts with flap gates that will strengthen the resilience of communities along the Cagayan de Oro River.
Bonoan, in his message, said that in support President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration’s development agenda to “Build, Better, More” toward the revitalization of the Philippine economy, FRIMP CDOR is also a step to the realization of one of the DPWH target outputs to build disaster resilient structures in calamity prone areas.
“We are much thankful for the Japanese government through JICA for funding this very significant project.”
“We are much thankful for the Japanese government through JICA for funding this very significant project,” the public works chief added.
“We are optimistic that FRIMP CDOR will not only mitigate floods but also promote improved living conditions and a more sustainable community.”
According to Sadain, DPWH endeavor to find ways to intensify mitigation projects against flooding in high risk areas and FRIMP CDOR is one of the many measures undertaken by the Philippine government together with JICA to increase resiliency of communities near the Cagayan de Oro River which are prone to the problem of flooding.
“Adding to the individual disaster and risk management plans of local government units, we are optimistic that FRIMP CDOR will not only mitigate flood but also promote improved living condition and more sustainable community,” he added.
In his project briefing, Project Director Arriola III of the DPWH UPMO Flood Control Management Cluster (UPMO-FCMC) said that FRIMP CDOR which is divided under three contract packages with implemented structural and non-structural measures for flood risk management designed to withstand flood damage with intensities similar to that caused by the devastating Tropical Storm “Sendong” in 2011.
Contract Package 2 was undertaken by Toyo Construction Co. Ltd under construction supervision and monitoring of UPMO FCMC.
The FRIMP CDOR covers the 12 kilometer stretch downstream portion from the river mouth up to the Pelaez Bridge and features innovative technology and design approach based on a 50-year flood return period.
DPWH conducted the master plan and feasibility study in the Cagayan de Oro River Basin in collaboration with JICA in 2011.
In December of the same year, Tropical Storm Sendong struck Northern Mindanao area, resulting to about more than one thousand casualties in the Cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan alone, and unprecedented damage to properties.
Due to tremendous changes in natural and social conditions brought about by Sendong, review and update of master plan and feasibility study were deemed urgently necessary.
Thus, in March 2012, DPWH, with the technical assistance of JICA conducted the Preparatory Survey for Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan de Oro River. The survey was the basis for the structural measures to strengthen disaster resilience of communities around Cagayan de Oro river basin.
Upon the full completion of the remaining contract package 3 covering Kauswagan-Carmen-Balulang-Nazareth-Macasandig later this year 2023, there will be a more resilient flood management to protect an area of about 614 hectares of commercial and residential areas with about 21,700 structures and 60,900 people.
Other than the flood mitigation, FRIMP-CDOR has road and bridge components that will improve mobility in the highly urbanized city of Cagayan de Oro, the city of golden friendship.
