Group urges prompt reporting of infrastructure damage as “Uwan” nears PH

Residents constructed this makeshift wood and bamboo bridge after the concrete pedestrian bridge of the revetment project along the Davao River collapsed in February 2024. (Antonio L. Colina IV)

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 07 November) – A consumer advocacy group in Davao City on Friday called on the city government, civil society, and the public to “report early signs of infrastructure damage” and to “take stronger measures to ensure the city’s readiness for heavy rainfall and other weather-related emergencies” with Severe Tropical Storm “Uwan” approaching.

In a statement Friday, Mindanao Alliance for Progress coordinator Mayet Valdez urged Davaenos “not [to] be complacent,” citing the deadly flood in the city in 2011 which left 25 people dead and 15 missing.

The floods in 2011 caused the Matina Pangi River to overflow, displacing 12,410 families, of whom 1,475 sought shelter in evacuation centers.

“Davao City has experienced its share of flooding in the past, including a deadly one in 2011, so we cannot afford to be complacent. We have to act now — before the rains arrive,” Valdez said.

In its 5 p.m. advisory on Friday, state weather bureau Pagasa hoisted signal number 1 over Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands.

According to Pagasa, the center of Uwan was located 1,175 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 135 km/h, with a central pressure of 975 hPa and moving westward at 25 km/h.

Uwan is expected to make landfall at the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora late evening on Sunday or early morning on Monday.

Although Davao City may not be directly affected, Valdez said “the safety of our people depends on constant review, maintenance, and accountability in infrastructure and disaster response.”

MAP urged residents to report early signs of infrastructure damage, to stay informed, and to follow advisories closely.

“MAP’s call extends not only to government officials but also to engineers, civic organizations, and ordinary citizens — urging everyone to work together in reassessing flood-prone areas, ensuring the integrity of flood control systems, and preparing evacuation centers and emergency protocols before Uwan’s expected landfall,” it said.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure on Wednesday inspected a revetment in Barangay Matina Crossing, including a flood control project along the Davao River where a pedestrian bridge collapsed last year.

An earlier report by MindaNews said the pedestrian bridge located in an area known as Matina Gravahan, part of an ₱84-million revetment project, collapsed in February 2024, just two months after the project’s completion. (Razl EJ Teman/MindaNews)