[ Manila Bulletin Online ] July 14, 2008
By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Mayor Raymar Rebaldo is urging the national government to fasttrack the construction of an Aklan River flood control dam project to mitigate the flooding of lowland areas here.
The proposal came after typhoon ‘Frank’ battered most barangays of the town of Kalibo along the Aklan River with mudflood.
"The project would prevent and minimize the impact of flooding brought by super typhoons which normally requires funding from the national government," the mayor said during the regular Kapihan sa Aklan at DyRG Budyong ng Kalibo Saturday.
Sponsored by the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Aklan Press Club and the Aklan Media Forum.
Metro Manila Development Authority will also lend its technical expertise in the construction of protective dikes, excavation and improvement of existing drainage facilities, said Aldo Mayor, designated MMDA head for Aklan provincial operations.
Rebaldo said those areas prone to flooding along the Aklan River which straddles the municipalities of Banga, Numancia and Kalibo will benefit thousands of people with the completion of the flood control project.
"The town of Kalibo is the catch basin or located at the mouth of Aklan River. In this critical stage, the flood control works should be completed before the onset of rainy season," he added.
Rebaldo said floodwaters severely swamped the barangays of Tinigaw, Mobo, Poblacion, Bakhaw Sur and Bakhaw Norte that killed five people and injured more than 100 persons.
The perennial flooding also hampers the operations of business establishments and schools leaving an extensive damage to the economy of Kalibo and the province of Aklan.
Atty. Allen Salas-Quimpo, executive director of Aklan Rivers Development Council, said Typhoon ‘Frank’ is the worst natural disaster that inundated low-lying areas in Kalibo with floodwaters and damaged farmlands and properties.
