Amid the inclement weather, an official here has advised Dabawenyos to make their homes more resilient to flooding by having them retrofitted or redesigned.

For instance, owners of flood-prone houses in urban areas may consider turning their ground floors into commercial areas and relocate the main living quarters on higher floors, said Engr. Ivan Cortez, City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) officer-in-charge.

“There are some residential areas that are constantly being flooded, and these residential properties are recommended to be retrofitted to add another floor, or commercialize the lower floor,” Cortez said during Monday’s Kapehan sa SM City here.

If that doesn’t work because the area is low-lying and regularly visited by floods, Cortez said the city offers a resettlement site for homeowners living in disaster-prone areas.

CPDO, he added, is set to release data on available housing opportunities for residents.

By freeing up disaster-prone areas, the CPDO official said the city will have an opportunity to transform these spaces into recreational parks and other green spaces to maximize livability.

Flood-control investments

Last year, CPDO said some PHP2 billion worth of investments were allotted for various infrastructure projects to mitigate the flooding problem in La Verna area — one of the 41 flood-prone areas in Davao City.

The budget went to the completion of the PHP100 million pump house, PHP500 million for the construction of a retarding basin, PHP105 million for the improvement of La Verna Creek, and PHP3 million for the rehabilitation of the drainage system.

For this year, CPDO said the DPWH’s proposed projects in the La Verna area include the PHP395 million drainage structure and PHP340 million retarding basin.

Next year, the same flood-prone area is expected to be allotted with PHP300 million for the construction of another retarding basin and PHP500 million for the improvement of the creek.

Meanwhile, Cortez said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has also expressed willingness to fund some PHP507 million for the land acquisition and compensation in improving the Sasa Creek drainage area.

Flood-control infrastructures are also being planned for the Davao River, Matina River, and Lasang River, as well as for highly silted canals or creeks.

According to CPDO, the other causes of flooding here include the lack of absorptive capacity, clogged waterways, old drainage systems, improper waste disposal. (PNA)