PAVIA, Iloilo, Philippines (PNA) — Some residents living along riverbanks of Tigum River, including a portion of the Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP) in Pavia, Iloilo are complaining that their lives are in danger after the dike erosion triggered by the Typhoon Frank in 2008.

According to residents in the area, the dike continues to erode time it rains. In fact, they claim that every barangay officials have already informed the offices of the Iloilo City and Iloilo Provincial Engineer about their problem but it seems both departments are helpless to do something about the matter.

Engineer Gracianito Lucero, head of the Provincial Engineer’s Office, said the problem was already referred to the Iloilo Provincial Monitoring and Evaluation Committee chaired by Badiangan Mayor Suzette Mamon, who is also the head of the Philippines Councilor’s League (PCL)-Iloilo Chapter.

Lucero said that as far as he knows, Mamon is now coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways 6 (DPWH-6) as project implementer to help address the problem.

For his part, Engineer Carl Quimsing of the City Engineer’s Office said they are also working to fix the problem but admitted that they cannot easily address the concern because the project has not yet been turned over to the city government.

Quimsing said the contractor has already been requested to dredge the flood control project before turning over the project to them. He said they are still waiting the response of JICA. The engineer also said DPWH-6 has already been copy furnished said letter to JICA.

He added that City Councilor Joshua Alim has been tasked by Mabilog to facilitate the deliberation on said turnover, with the City Council authorizing the Iloilo City mayor to enter into a contract or Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on the turnover of the IFCP State 1 facilities.

The IFCP is a national-funded project intended to mitigate flood damage, creating a more effectively sustainable urban community by providing a safer and more pleasant living condition for the Iloilo urban area.