Catanduanes town allots P2M for sea wall project

By Manuel T. Ugalde

VIGA, Catanduanes --- Still reeling from Typhoon “Rolly” that devastated the island province of Catanduanes, the municipal government here was forced to cough up P 2 million for the repair and continuation of the uncompleted seawall project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the coastal barangay of Tinago.

The coastal barangay, located 72-kilometer away from the capital town of Virac, suffered the worst during super Typhoon “Rolly” with the sea water rampaging into the barangay proper because of the uncompleted seawall built by the DPWH more than 10 years ago. The uncompleted portion, some 100 meters long, at the left side of the seawall served as the opening for the rampaging seawater at the height of the typhoon that severely damaged residential houses in the village.

Mayor Emeterio Tarin confirmed that the municipal council has allocated P2 million for the repair of the damaged seawall, but he said the amount is not enough to complete the remaining 100 meters unfinished portion.

He said the local government will assume the responsibility for the implementation of the P2 million repair fund.

Asked why the DPWH did not complete 800-meters long seawall, Tarin said he has no idea, adding that to complete the entire length of the Tinago seawall, some P10 million is needed for that purpose.

Village residents lamented that had the DPWH completed the seawall, they would not suffer the worse from the rampaging seawater during the typhoon.

Herman Rodriguez, a Tinago resident, said the rampaging sea water totally destroyed his house, leaving him with nothing.

During the typhoon, residents of the barangay proper evacuated to higher grounds.

A concerned resident said he took the initiative of writing DPWH Sec. Mark Villar and Senator Manny Pacquiao in his capacity as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Works, some 3 years ago to look into the status of the Tinago uncompleted seawall project.

The resident said Villar and Pacquiao did not act on his request.

DPWH engineers inspected the damaged seawall four days after the typhoon hit the village.

Viga town has 31 barangays, seven of them are coastal villages.