A flood control project constructed at the strawberry farm in La Trinidad, Benguet is proving to be beneficial, helping to quickly drain floodwaters that used to inundate the area during heavy rainfall.

In a media interview on Tuesday, Mayor Roderick Awingan said the project, built in 2021, has helped water subside in a matter of hours, a significant improvement from the days it used to take before.

“Nakatulong naman ang flood control, although may mga dapat lang siguro na ayusin para maging mas effective” (The flood control project helped, although there needs to be some fixing for it to become more effective), the mayor said. He noted that the project was officially a “drainage project” implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The persistent flooding during the rainy season used to not only affect the strawberry plantation itself but also damaged the souvenir shops surrounding it.

Awingan said that while the project has not fully solved the problem, the positive effect is evident.

“Noong wala pa ang flood control, ilang araw bago mag-subside ang tubig. Nakita naman natin ang improvements, nagsu-subside na ang tubig in a few hours” (When the flood control was not yet there, the flood took days to subside. We saw the improvements, as water now subsides in a few hours), the mayor said.

He believes the remaining problem lies at the water’s exit near the Balili river, where the large volume of water from the Bolo creek is unable to exit due to the Balili’s water volume.

The mayor stressed that finding a definitive solution to the problem is more important than pointing fingers. “Ang kapakanan natin ang mas importante kaysa sa paghahanap sino ang may kasalanan” (Our welfare is more important than looking for who is at fault), he said.

Awingan said he has met with municipal engineers to come up with both short-term and long-term solutions. He also reiterated his stance on infrastructure projects, stating that public consultation is required for transparency. (PNA)