MANILA -- Eight regions in the country will benefit from the PHP54.21 million (112.98 million Japanese yen) worth of equipment donated by the Japanese government to enhance flood fighting activities and disaster response.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar received eight units of mobile drainage pump and 17 power generation sets with tower lights from Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda in a turnover ceremony at the DPWH-Unified Project Management Office-Flood Control Management Office in Pasig City Friday.
DPWH Undersecretary for UPMO Operations and Technical Services Emil Sadain said the mobile drainage pumps will be distributed to DPWH Regions 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12 and the National Capital Region for emergency response during floods.
The donation package procured by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) is part of its Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of Japanese Disaster Reduction Equipment 2014 for the Republic of the Philippines.
Villar, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its kind benevolence of providing continued assistance for the Filipino people.
On the other hand, the DPWH official said that the floodlights units will be distributed to all DPWH Regional Offices and the Bureau of Equipment will allow emergency response and work repairs after natural disasters especially during low-light conditions.
The truck-mount type submersible pump package with generator has drainage capacity of 7.5 cubic meters per minute and will be used for addressing inland flooding problems of major urban centers of the recipient regions, thru the pumping out of floodwaters brought by typhoon and heavy rains to nearby waterways
Appropriate trainings for the operation and maintenance of the equipment were earlier given to representatives of recipient DPWH Regional Offices.
Five years ago, the DPWH has received eight mobile drainage pumps from the same donor under the said aid.
It noted that the equipment were distributed to Regions 3, 4-A, 7, 8, 11, 13 and NCR which were effective as floodwaters subsided faster with the use of said pumps. (PR)
