Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar led the inauguration ceremony of two floodwater reservoir projects in Barangay Buhay na Tubig, Imus City in Cavite.
Villar was joined by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil Sadain, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa, Cavite 2nd District Representative Strike Revilla, and Cavite 3rd District Representative Alex Advincula.
The event was also attended by DPWH UPMO Flood Control Management Cluster (FCMC) Project Director Ramon Ariola III, UPMO Project Directors Benjamin Bautista and Rodrigo Delos Reyes, and Project Manager Aurelio Mendoza.
“The Imus and Bacoor retarding basins are expected to help manage or mitigate the challenges of the rainy season for Imus and Bacoor that are highly susceptible to rain-induced flash flooding.”
The public works chief said that the Imus and Bacoor retarding basins implemented by DPWH UPMO-FCMC are expected to help manage or mitigate the challenges of the rainy season for Imus and Bacoor that are highly susceptible to rain-induced flash flooding.
“The projects will help address flooding woes in low-lying areas affected by the confluence of Imus River and Bacoor River,” the public works head added.
According to Sadain, the design of two retarding basins are based on a comprehensive flood management master plan prepared by JICA.
“These constructed retarding basins will temporarily store most, if not all, of the rainwater run-off during very high rainfall.”
“These constructed retarding basins will temporarily store most, if not all, of the rainwater run-off during very high rainfall to reduce the peak volume of flood flow and later release at regulated rate,” he said.
The reservoirs that will also reduce the floodwater going downstream were built under financing of JICA’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).
When water level increases during flooding, the floodwater overflows into the retarding basins and will be discharged once the water level in Imus and Bacoor River subsides or at normal rate.
The Imus retarding basin at Barangay Anabu has a water detention area of about 35 hectares with 2 meters by 2 meters one barrel drainage sluice and 84 meters overflow dike.
On the other hand, Bacoor retarding basin located in Barangay Buhay na Tubig has two basin connected by a 2.7 meters by 2.7 meters one barrel sluiceway for a total pond area of 9 hectares with overflow dike of 42 meters and 1 meter by 1 meter one barrel drainage sluice.
