THE Office of the Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) has announced plans to address drainage issues across the region in 2025.
Regional Director Ednar Dayanghirang shared during a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) that improving drainage systems will be a top priority for the coming year.
“Kay ang typhoon wala tay problema sa typhoon naa mana gyud na mutago man gyud ka ana pangandaman (With typhoons, we can take shelter and prepare, but flooding is our biggest challenge),” Dayanghirang said on December 23, 2024.
He said that even natural phenomena like the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Shear Line, and localized thunderstorms now cause severe flooding due to the effects of climate change. This was not the case in previous years.
Dayanghirang highlighted that some drainage systems in the region are either outdated or compromised by other infrastructure. For instance, a municipality in Davao del Norte reported that while roads in their area are well-maintained, the absence of a proper drainage system causes flooding in the Poblacion area during heavy rain.
“It is time to redesign maybe it is about time kay tungod sa climate change sauna siguro pwede tu gagmay pero sa kadaghanon sa tubig (It’s time to redesign our drainage systems. Smaller systems worked in the past, but with today’s increased water volume due to climate change, they’re no longer enough),” he said.
He cited the success of drainage system upgrades in Dacudao and Obrero, areas that were once prone to flooding. Widening the drainage systems in these locations has significantly reduced flooding, providing a model for other areas to follow.
In addition to physical improvements, OCD-Davao plans to expand training programs to ensure communities are prepared to respond effectively to emergencies.
By tackling drainage issues and improving disaster preparedness, OCD-Davao aims to mitigate the impacts of flooding and other weather-related challenges. RGP
