Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered DPWH Regional Office 11 to urgently repair the Bangkal flood control dike in Talomo District, Davao City, to mitigate severe flood risks in nearby communities.
During a site inspection on Wednesday, Dizon instructed regional officials to begin dredging the Talomo River, expressing frustration after learning the waterway has gone without desilting for nearly a decade.
He criticized previous delays on local flood mitigation efforts despite substantial investments in the area since 2019.
“I’m upset because there was actually a project to raise the height of the dike by two meters, but the work was cut short and not completed. Billions in DPWH funds have poured into this area,” Dizon said in an interview.
The Public Works chief noted that finishing the essential repairs would cost under ₱100 million, attributing the project’s stalled progress to administrative failures rather than budget constraints.
“I don’t think it will reach ₱100 million. This is not expensive, yet it was not done — obviously it was DPWH’s fault — it’s leadership, right,” he added.
Dizon also revealed he was recently briefed on a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) flood control master plan for the area, which has yet to secure final approval and is slated for funding under the proposed 2027 General Appropriations Act.
“It was not yet implemented. We will fund it for 2027 because we don’t have the funds at the moment,” he explained.
To address recurring flooding permanently, Dizon underscored the need for long-term solutions, such as constructing a dam or detention basin in Davao City’s mountainous terrain to regulate water flow into low-lying zones.
“For now, we’ll conduct dredging here and at the sea outlet, working our way up, and then construct the gabion dike,” Dizon added.