ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jan 19 (PIA) – The city government of Zamboanga will soon implement recovery plan for sectors affected by the spate of floodings recently and build better flood control infrastructures, officials said.

Mayor John Dalipe has vowed that the city government of Zamboanga under his leadership will work hard to jumpstart the construction of what he termed as the state-of-the-art anti-flooding projects that will prevent the occurrence of massive flooding as it was in recent weeks.

The inspection is preliminary to the structural survey with demarcation of the required riverbank easement from barangay Pasonanca to Tugbungan.

Meanwhile, City Agriculturist Carmelita Sanchez said her office will implement a recovery plan for the farmers affected by the floods last January 11 as well as those hit by floods last December 24 and October 27 and 28.

She said the farmers have been given initial relief assistance by the City Government to help them alleviate their plight. 

City Information Officer, Sheila Covarrubias reported that the city’s agriculture sector sustained damages amounting to P106,460,242.46 due to flooding caused by persistent rains last January 11, based on the assessment report of the City Agriculturist Office. 

A total of 3,165 farmers were severely affected. Hardest hit are 1,411.40 hectares of seaweeds farm, 816.25 hectares of fishpond, 333.30 hectares of rice fields, 200.265 hectares of cornfields, and 30.67 hectares of cornfields. Total area of farms affected is 2,791.79 hectares. 

In terms of cost of damage, 551 high value crops farmers incurred the biggest losses at P43.787 million; 1,873 seaweeds farmers lost P24.42 million; 368 rice farmers reported P22.41 million losses; 218 fishpond operators incurred P13.29 million damage while 48 corn farmers reported P2.09 million losses.

Meanwhile, 107 farmers reported damage fishing gears and fishing boats amounting to some P443,000. 

The city government has assured residents that the local government will jumpstart the flood control projects. 

Meanwhile, residents will have to prepare for similar flooding events while these projects are being completed. (EDT/RVC/PIA9 with reports from Shiela Covarrubias and Vic Larato/ photos courtesy of the City Government of Zamboanga)