More consultations sought on Leyte’s ‘Great Wall’ project

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 15 (PNA) - The Regional Development Council (RDC) asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to consult more experts prior to the implementation of the PHP7.9 billion tide embankment project along Leyte’s coastal communities badly hit by storm surges in 2013.

In a statement posted Thursday by the RDC’s secretariat, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the highest policy-making body conditionally endorsed during its fourth quarter 2015 meeting.

“The RDC endorsed the project subject to the conduct of consultation with the experts to be participated by professionals,”

These experts are affiliated with University of the Philippines - Marine Science Institute, Ateneo de Manila University-Manila Observatory, Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Reconstruction, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, and the Area Management Committees of the Local Governments Tacloban City, Palo and Tanauan.

RDC private sector representative Oliver Cam of the Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry strongly suggested the consultation of experts to look into the details of the project.

“Cognizant of the critical relevance and huge investment requirement of the Project on Storm Surge Protection: Road Heightening and Tide Embankment for Tacloban-Palo-Tanauan, Leyte, the full council endorsed the project,” the RDC said in a statement.

The council deferred the approval of the “Great Wall” project during its third quarter meeting due to numerous concerns raised by various sectors.

The 27.3-kilometer “Great Wall” project stretches from Diit village in Tacloban to Cabuynan village in Tanauan town.

Sections 1 to 3 are in Tacloban, section 4 are the coastal villages of Tacloban and Palo, section 5 are some areas in Palo and Tanauan, and section 6 in Tanauan town.

The four-meter high structure, designed to shield coastal communities from big waves, was pushed through by President Benigno S. Aquino III after the 2013 storm surges wiped out neighborhoods in Leyte province.

The PHP7.9 billion project include civil works and right of way acquisition broken down in four years – PHP1.46 billion for 2016, PHP1.19 billion for 2017, PHP2.64 billion for 2018, and PHP2.64 for 2019.

The DPWH aims to start the project within the first quarter of 2016, starting in Palo town.

The DPWH-Bureau of Design is still reviewing the revised plan for the project. (PNA)
ZST/SARWELL Q. MENIANO