LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) in its regular session on September 8 has approved an ordinance creating the Provincial Flood Mitigation and Management Office (PFMMO).
As stated, Section IV of the ordinance cited various operative principles or purposes in establishing the office as follows: 1) create and establish the mandate and strategic direction of the PFMMO; 2) formulate and develop a strategic flood mitigation and management masterplan that would integrate both structural and nonstructural strategies and solution, and a framework for risk assessment, preparedness, response and recovery from flood events; 3) coordinate with Local Government Units (LGUs), national government agencies, and private stakeholders for the planning and execution of flood mitigation projects.
It can be recalled that Governor Ramon V. Guico III sees river restoration as permanent flood control solution in Pangasinan. Hence, the creation of PFMMO is vital in achieving the goal in addressing perennial flooding in the province.
As stated earlier by the governor, large-scale river restoration project being rolled-out by the provincial government will provide a “permanent and suitable” solution to flooding in Pangasinan. “We will rehabilitate and revive our rivers so that waters, including floodwaters, can flow continuously to the sea, far from where we live,” he said during the launching of the flood mitigation program last month.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Mark Ronald DG. Lambino expressed full support to the project that includes the creation of the PFMMO which is tasked to oversee the activity.
The following are the roles and responsibilities of the PFMMDO as indicated in Section V of the ordinance authored by SP Members Napoleon C. Fontelera, Jr. and Haidee S. Pacheco:
1) Coordinate and where necessary initiate and carry out formulation, implementation and monitoring of flood mitigation, management and preparedness policies, studies, management actions and investment in the flood control projects consistent the institutional principle of stakeholder participation and devolution of action at the lowest possible level.
2) Organise the implementing structures, establish implementation policies, delegate authorities and responsibilities and call on other government agencies, financial institutions and donors, as needed to undertake flood mitigation and management programs and projects subject to applicable policies.
3) Establish and maintain structural consultation process at the appropriate executive levels with city and municipal LGUs, and representatives from people’s organizations (irrigators, upland farers, fisherfolk, water users associations, indigenous peoples’ groups) and the private sector and civil society organizations in the province.
4) Develop a portfolio of LGU projects in the Pangasinan rivers system.
5) Support/Undertake and/or coordinate the appraisal and feasibility studies of individual projects.
6) Assist LGUs in the packaging and documentation of their projects for submission to financing institutions.
7) Support the LGUs, together with the concerned line agencies, in the implementation of LGU projects.
8) Facilitate the coordination and implementation of activities between the different agencies involved in management and development of the river systems in the province.
9) Undertake other duties and functions as may be necessary to perform its mandate.
The PFMMO shall be led by the Project Management Officer to be assisted by a Deputy Management Officer, and will be manned by personnel from concerned provincial government offices.
(Ruby F. Rayat, photo by Ervin Alcantara | PIMRO)
