NAUJAN, Oriental Mindoro — Mayor Joel Teves announced the approval of two major flood mitigation projects to address the perennial flooding in the low-lying areas of the municipality.
The town’s public information office in its Facebook page on January 27 said, the Department of Public Works and Highways Region 4B (DPWH-4B) gave its approval for the construction of the road dike/esplanade on the eighth district of the town along the riverbanks of Mag-Asawang Tubig that straddles the villages of San Andres, Tagumpay and Inarawan.
“The design of the project is similar to the Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard in Manila. We hope it could be as strong and sturdy as well,” the post said.
BARANGY METOLZA, EVANGELISTA, AND PAITAN PROJECT
The second flood control project is located along the riverbanks of Barangay Metolza, Evangelista and Paitan. This is also a flood control project that would commence construction once the program of work is finished.
Teves immediately instructed municipal engineer Precy Olmos to go to the agency’s office in this city for coordination of the steps, plans and design of the project.
The DPWH and the contractor said that construction will start as soon as the weather normalizes.
The third project is a 50-meter bridge to be collaborated by the municipal government and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) dubbed as the “Tulay ng Pangulo.” The bridge will link sitio Ginto, Barangay Mahabang Parang and Malvar. The municipal government will have its counterpart in the funding of the project. Mayor Henry Joel C. Teves has been coordinating with the Department of Agrarian Reform through Assistant Secretary Rene E. Colocar who sits as the Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Officer (FASPO) of the DAR Central Office.
At least 47 towns in the municipality of Naujan were submerged in knee-to-chest-deep waters due to the incessant rains that started in the latter part of December last year. More than 5000 individuals were evacuated and millions of pesos worth of damage to agricultural products like crops, fish, properties and infrastructure were recorded. The town was also placed in a state of calamity to expedite the release of necessary funds and assistance from the national government. (photos courtesy of Naujan Public Information Office)