Cebu City forms team to implement gabion dams for flood control

A photo taken along Osmeña Boulevard on the rainy afternoon of August 1, when a strong downpour hit Cebu City. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has ratified a new ordinance creating a technical working group (TWG) dedicated to the research, design, and implementation of gabion dams.

The new ordinance aims to establish a framework for enhancing water resources and mitigating environmental issues such as flooding.

It was sponsored by Councilors Nestor Archival Sr., Joy Young, Jocelyn Pesquera, and Joel Garganera, and is titled “An Ordinance Mandating the Creation of a Technical Working Group for the Research, Design, Construction, and Establishment of Gabion Dams or Other Water Impounding or Recharging Facilities in Strategic Sites within the City of Cebu, and Providing for a Budgetary Allocation.”

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Archival explained the benefits of gabion dams during the final reading, where he mentioned their role in promoting environmental resilience.

“Gabion dams help control erosion, improve water quality, and boost biodiversity,” Archival said.

“They are crucial not only for flood control but also for ensuring water security, especially during droughts,” he added.

The new ordinance was approved on August 7 during the council’s regular session.

In an April 2024 report, City Councilor Joel Garganera revealed that Cebu City plans to construct 50 to 60 gabion dams, with each dam expected to cost between P250,000 and P500,000.

Garganera explained that the dams, which will vary in size from 100 to 250 square meters, have a budget allocated for their construction.

The first site for these dams will be Barangay Adlaon, where a site inspection has already taken place.

According to Garganera, the city is also coordinating with the National Irrigation Administration here (NIA-Cebu) for their expertise.

He said that these gabion dams are intended to serve both as water storage solutions and as a means to mitigate flooding issues, and he disclosed that a total of approximately P30 million has been set aside for the project.

READ: Cebu City flooding: DEPW execs show how to solve flood woes

Meanwhile, on July 10, the Council approved a resolution from Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure, requesting Garcia to allocate funds for the construction of dams based on a proposal from the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW).

The City Council has approved P149 million for dam construction in the city’s upland areas, with the funding now pending approval from the acting mayor.

Both the executive and legislative branches of the Cebu City Government have stressed the urgent need for these dams to address ongoing flooding issues and the water shortage exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon.

The resolution indicated that on June 27, 2024, Engineer Ma. Lilibeth Del Mar, head of the planning and design division at DEPW, detailed in a letter the proposed dam construction, estimated at P149 million.

This funding was to come from the General Fund 2023 Special Account for Environmental Flood Control, but that account has since been defunded. The resolution also notes that DEPW has identified 13 sites along the Pulangbato River for the dams.

Furthermore, the ordinance highlights the current water crisis exacerbated by saltwater intrusion due to excessive underground extraction.

“Aside from the Buhisan Watershed, the City of Cebu has no other watershed or water dams built as a viable source for water production to address the high demand for water supply in the city,” it read.

Gabion dams are described in the ordinance as flexible barriers formed from interconnected gabion baskets.

These structures are designed to slow water flow in drainage ditches and stormwater runoff channels, offering a sustainable solution to water management challenges.

The newly formed TWG will include the head of the Department of Engineering and Public Works as ex-officio chairman, the head of the City Planning and Development Office as ex-officio vice-chairman, along with the chairs of the Committee on Transportation, Communication, and Utilities, the Committee on Infrastructure, the head of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, and a board member of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD). /clorenciana