Noy to lobby for Japan funding of flood control project

ROXAS CITY, Philippines – President Aquino said here yesterday that he would lobby the Japanese government to continue funding its projects in the Philippines, particularly the P5-billion Panay river basin flood control project.

Japan had withdrawn funds for the Panay river project after it was hit by disasters recently.

“We’re still assessing. We will talk with the Japanese government. They need a lot of reconstruction because of what happened in Fukushima and other places in Japan. But having said that, I understand that we can still lobby for the retention of some of these projects,” Aquino said.

“They have been very supportive, they’re the biggest source of official development assistance and I think as a way to pump prime their economy, they will pursue their projects,” he added.

Aquino said he will also discuss the proposed railway project for Panay island with newly appointed Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Aquino told reporters in an interview here after distributing social services that Roxas would focus first on the Southrail and Northrail projects and other problems he inherited from the past administration.

The Panay river project is supposed to be funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency with a counterpart fund from the Philippine government.

The Department of Public Works and Highways said it is looking for alternative funding for the project.

The ambitious project calls for the rehabilitation of the 98-kilometer Panay river in Capiz.

Environmental degradation such us forest denudation, erosion of the Panay watershed and heavy siltation of the Panay river – factors that cause flashfloods in Capiz during the rainy season – lead the pack of problems Capiz officials want Malacañang to act on.

If realized, the Panay river project will minimize if not end the perennial flooding problem along the sub-basins of the Panay river which adversely affects the local economy as it has been damaging crops, property and poses risk to the safety of residents.