LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – – This capital town has proven its responsiveness on disaster response, reduction and management winning back to back the national Kalamidad at Sakuna, Labanan Sariling Galing (KALASAG) award in the 1st -3rd class municipal category. But it is not sitting on its achievements, instead it continues to seek ways to keep its people safe from harm.
The local government is undertaking an evaluation of the flood situation of this capital town as an initial step for a full-blown study that would address the perennial flooding problem in the valley.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Yoshio Labi said that the initial study is being undertaken by US Peace Corps volunteer Patricia Fontanet Rodriguez. One of the main purposes of the study is to identify strategies to mitigate flooding, identify resources and as leverage to obtain and tap other funding sources.
A water resources planner in the federal government in Sacramento, California, USA, Rodriguez is working on a study entitled, “La Trinidad Flood Study ” since October last year and expects to finish it this April.
Rodriguez is on the information gathering phase on post assessment reports and flood damages that include conducting interviews with concerned municipal offices and affected barangays especially Betag on their experiences in mitigating the impact of flooding; gathering of historical accounts, and ongoing and future projects among other relevant information.
All the information gathered will be compiled to determine the causes, the approaches, and come up with recommendations to serve as bases in coming up with a full-blown study or a feasibility study which is one of the requirements of funding agencies.**JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Benguet
