The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently completed the construction of concrete seawalls valued at PHP107 million, providing vital protection for coastal communities in the cities of Cadiz and San Carlos in northern Negros Occidental.
DPWH-Western Visayas reported the completion of the Cadiz seawall on Wednesday, July 17, while the San Carlos structure was finished in the first week of July.
In Cadiz, the PHP87-million project spans 835.57 linear meters along the Barangay Zone 1 shoreline. The seawall itself stands three meters tall and features a four-meter wide reinforced concrete slab for added strength. To further deflect waves, half-meter high mattresses were installed.
“As a barrier between the sea and the land, the seawall will absorb and reflect wave energy, preventing further erosion of the coastline,” said DPWH-Western Visayas Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel in a statement. “The structure will serve multiple purposes: protection against erosion and flooding, enhanced safety and resilience for communities, and environmental protection.”
Negros Occidental 1st District Engineer Dene Baldonado Jr. added another benefit – a safe haven for fisherfolk. The calmer area created by the seawall can be used to anchor boats during high tides or typhoons. He explained, “This separation offers a safer place for them to dock their boats, while also minimizing the impact of water current from the sea on the communities.”
San Carlos City also benefitted from a PHP20 million seawall constructed in Barangay 6, an area particularly vulnerable to flooding and seawater overflow. This 100-meter slope protection structure, along with a 210-meter wave deflector, works to prevent erosion and minimize the impact of strong currents. According to Juan Alfonso Jorbina Sr., officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Sub District Engineering Office, “The structure serves as a significant shield against untoward circumstances.” (PNA)
