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THE CONSTRUCTION of at least one flood-control dam in Cebu City’s uplands has been a priority of the city government since last year, said a city official.
But the budget was not released by the Department of Budget and Finance (DBM), said City Planning and Development Officer Nigel Paul Villarete.
The construction of one dam was supposed to be funded by the Countryside Development Fund of North District Rep. Raul del Mar because City Hall's own funds were tied up in other projects.
The project was bidded out and awarded to a private contractor last February for P1.5 million, Villarete said. The money, however, is still with the DBM.
City Hall will follow up the release of the funds from the DBM, Villarete said.
The first dam will be constructed in the mountains of barangay Lahug, where the most water could be retained by a single dam, according to city engineers.
Villarete said the city’s drainage masterplan had phases that could have been worked on at the same time since these were spread throughout the city.
But funding limitations prevent the project’s phases from being worked on simultaneously. The most logical and immediate solution was to start with the mini-dams, Villarete said.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier said he wanted at least one of the six mini-dams constructed before his term ends in 2010.
