Leyte Tide Embankment Project Nears 60% Completion, Aims for Flood Mitigation
Leyte — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has reported that the ongoing Leyte tide embankment project is now 59% complete, according to a statement released on Tuesday by DPWH Eastern Visayas regional director Edgar Tabacon. Initiated in 2016, the construction aims to protect coastal communities from large waves and flooding. Tabacon indicated that the project has encountered challenges and opposition, but the goal is to complete it during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
According to Philippines News Agency, the project’s completion depends on the funds allocated by the central government. Of the PHP12.14 billion required budget, PHP8.8 billion has been released from 2016 to the present year for a 19-kilometer flood mitigation structure and a 5.43-kilometer backwater dike. The DPWH announced that as of the end of September, 17.67 kilometers of the planned 38.12-kilometer structure have been completed. An additional 6.81 kilometers are under construction, and 13.64 kilometers have not yet commenced.
The embankment aims to safeguard communities in Leyte, as well as the neighboring towns of Palo and Tanauan. Equipped with stainless steel flap gates and river gates with actuators, the structure also features a bike lane complete with railings, ramps, and streetlights. “From San Juanico Bridge to downtown, the embankment will also serve as a parallel highway to alleviate traffic congestion from the city to the Samar area. Coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for environmental considerations and public consultations are still needed,” Tabacon stated.
Spanning from Diit village to Cabuynan village in Tanauan town, the embankment is designed to protect an estimated 33,000 residents based on a 50-year projected population. The project is segmented into various sections covering different areas of Leyte, Palo, and Tanauan. Most sections feature a four-meter-wide structure that includes a bay walk and bicycle lane. The embankment, positioned 30 meters from the shoreline, is intended to protect a 33.7-square-meter area containing 33,185 residential and commercial properties.
The construction of the four-meter-high protective structure was initiated in response to the destruction caused by the 2013 storm surges during Super Typhoon Yolanda, which decimated neighborhoods in Leyte province.