Bayanihan spirit hopes to mitigate flood risks in Zambales
Bayanihan, an old but reliable Filipino tradition of extending help to fellowmen, will be used to mitigate flooding in high risks areas of this province.
Rear Admiral Fidel Diñoso, president of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), said that while engineering intervention would be the most effective measure to mitigate floods, bayanihan would play a crucial role to mobilize town folks during calamities.
“Direct participation of town folks is very important during calamities,” Diñoso said as he led about a hundred cadets quartered inside the PMMA school campus here to help affected residents in sandbagging operations along the river banks in Barangay Alusiis.
Heavy rains created strong current along lahar-silted Sto. Tomas river which destroyed several meters of the dike and forced the diversion of the river flow into densely populated communities here at the height of Typhoon "Gloria" recently.
“This will be a race against time,” Diñoso said of the sandbagging operations to create an artificial soil embankment intended to cover the damage river dikes and deflect the flow of waters to back to the river.
Diñoso explained that the spirit of Bayanihan should live on among residents while both local and national governments carry out interventions and mitigating measures to efficiently address the needs of the affected communities here.
Around 90 percent of residential houses with more than 4,000 residents in Barangay Lapaz alone suffered from massive flooding.
Lapaz barangay captain Bienvenido Paz Jr. said relief goods from different groups have started pouring in their area since most of the residents have yet to fully recover from the damage caused by the recent typhoon.
Various private organizations such as the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Lions Clubs, students of PMMA graduate school and several other non-government organizations have conducted relief operations, medical and dental missions to ease the burden of affected residents.
Paz said 83 families living in low-lying areas were transferred to the town’s youth center and would be facing permanent relocation because their areas can no longer be spared from severe flooding.
Mayor William Lim said at least 11 villages in this town were hit by floods that submerged residential houses with five-foot deep water, damaging crops in agricultural lands and government properties amounting to over P50 million.
Lim said the local government would put up temporary and emergency resettlement sites to accommodate residents affected by severe flooding and in anticipation of more typhoons expected to hit Zambales this monsoon season. (PNA)
Rear Admiral Fidel Diñoso, president of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), said that while engineering intervention would be the most effective measure to mitigate floods, bayanihan would play a crucial role to mobilize town folks during calamities.
“Direct participation of town folks is very important during calamities,” Diñoso said as he led about a hundred cadets quartered inside the PMMA school campus here to help affected residents in sandbagging operations along the river banks in Barangay Alusiis.
Heavy rains created strong current along lahar-silted Sto. Tomas river which destroyed several meters of the dike and forced the diversion of the river flow into densely populated communities here at the height of Typhoon "Gloria" recently.
“This will be a race against time,” Diñoso said of the sandbagging operations to create an artificial soil embankment intended to cover the damage river dikes and deflect the flow of waters to back to the river.
Diñoso explained that the spirit of Bayanihan should live on among residents while both local and national governments carry out interventions and mitigating measures to efficiently address the needs of the affected communities here.
Around 90 percent of residential houses with more than 4,000 residents in Barangay Lapaz alone suffered from massive flooding.
Lapaz barangay captain Bienvenido Paz Jr. said relief goods from different groups have started pouring in their area since most of the residents have yet to fully recover from the damage caused by the recent typhoon.
Various private organizations such as the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Lions Clubs, students of PMMA graduate school and several other non-government organizations have conducted relief operations, medical and dental missions to ease the burden of affected residents.
Paz said 83 families living in low-lying areas were transferred to the town’s youth center and would be facing permanent relocation because their areas can no longer be spared from severe flooding.
Mayor William Lim said at least 11 villages in this town were hit by floods that submerged residential houses with five-foot deep water, damaging crops in agricultural lands and government properties amounting to over P50 million.
Lim said the local government would put up temporary and emergency resettlement sites to accommodate residents affected by severe flooding and in anticipation of more typhoons expected to hit Zambales this monsoon season. (PNA)
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
7:25 AM
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