JICA Grant to Albay Reaches P1.28 Billion

Legazpi City (11 August) -- Albay has received from Japanese government an additional grant of P944-million, now bringing to P1.284-billion the single-country total assistance intended for the establishment of calamity-control facilities in the province.

Albay officials and representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had signed here Thursday (August 5) the memorandum of agreement (MOA) of some P944-million grant to be used in the construction of evacuation buildings and flood-forecasting facilities in the province's disaster-prone areas.

"In totality, JICA engagements in Albay already amounted to P1.284 billion, including the P480-million for 6 evacuation centers; request for Doppler radar worth P340 million now starting construction in Virac but a request of Albay in response to Reming/Milenyo; and P464 million Bicol River Basin flood forecasting center, including a mobile radar, a grant to PAGASA's Southern Luzon Regional Service Center here but the flood forecasting center will be established in Polangui, Albay (center of The Bicol River Basin ecosystem)," Salceda disclosed.

Salceda said six more multi-story buildings estimated to cost P80-million each, or a total of P480-million, would be constructed in the towns of Manito, Sto. Domingo, Oas, Libon, Polangui, and this city, areas which are potentially affected by typhoons and Mayon Volcano eruptions.

He said that the structures would be designed not only to house evacuees in times of calamities, but also to be used as classrooms during normal seasons.

The governor said that Albay's vulnerability to natural calamities and its officials' effective disaster management could be the two major reasons why JICA has chosen the province as recipient of this grant, considered as the biggest foreign aid to be received by a local government unit.

"I think our vulnerability to natural disasters coupled with our good house-keeping are the reasons why Japan grants us this assistance," Salceda told reporters here shortly after the MOA signing.

Masafumi Nagaishi, JICA's senior representative to the Philippines, said that, with the MOA already signed, they would immediately start with ocular survey of the sites of the evacuation buildings.

"Probably it would take us up to ten months to complete the survey. The actual construction works will immediately follow," Nagaishi said.

He also said that Albay is the only place in the country to receive such grant, and Indonesia in South East Asia.

Kobayoshi Chiaki, JICA's deputy assistant director, said he would personally oversee the construction works in close coordination with the Albay officials, particularly the provincial disaster coordinating council and the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) headed by Cedric Daep.

Salceda said that JICA would also finance the construction of the modern flood-forecasting and warning facilities that would include mobile rainfall-measuring radar and other rain-gauge equipment.

He said that the flood-warning system would be based in Polangui, one of the towns most prone to flooding during rainy days, being part of the low-lying Bicol River Basin.

Once all the facilities turn operational, preemptive mass movement of people would be minimized, Salceda said.

At least 300,00 people are potentially affected and moved out to safer grounds during strong typhoons and volcanic eruptions in the province.

After the lashings of super typhoon Reming in 2006, at least 10 relocation sites and evacuation centers were already put up across Albay, particularly in this city, and the towns of Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Sto. Domingo and Tabaco City, some of them were also assisted by foreign countries and organizations. (PIA V)