ADB OKs $303-M loan for flood control infra

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday it had approved a loan for the Philippines aimed at reducing flood and climate risks in three major river basins in the country.

In a statement, the ADB said $303 million was allotted for the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project-Phase 1.

The project will upgrade and construct flood protection infrastructure in the Abra river basin in northern Luzon and the Ranao-Agus and Tagum-Libuganon river basins in southern Mindanao. 

The ADB said the flood infrastructure project was initiated to protect people and livelihoods in the three major river basins.

The Manila-based multilateral lender said the infrastructure project takes into account future climate change impacts and incorporates nature-based solutions such as restoring and reconnecting old river channels for natural drainage and reinforcing riverbanks with mangroves and vegetation planting.

"Climate change is expected to raise risks from extreme weather events. These river basin communities are highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, as we have seen in recent years when typhoons destroyed infrastructure, displaced families, and damaged crops," said ADB senior water resources specialist Junko Sagara. 

"The project will help lessen these risks and improve income and livelihood opportunities, especially for the poor and vulnerable," she said. 

The ADB said the project would also help strengthen the Philippines’ capacity to perform flood risk management planning by providing training for government officials, installing equipment for weather and river flow monitoring and early flood warning, and introducing an asset management information system.

The lender added that the flood infrastructure project aims to boost community-based flood risk management by supporting 22 local government units and about 150 barangays in updating their climate and disaster risk assessments and integrating flood risk management into local development plans. 

Training activities will be conducted to build the capacity of communities to adapt to climate change and manage flood risks. 

The project will include civil society organizations and beneficiary groups in its planning and implementation. 

The feasibility study and design for the project, meanwhile, were supported by the ADB’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility, which has been helping Philippine government agencies access information on up-to-date technology and innovative designs for building major infrastructure projects since 2017. 

The project is aligned with the Philippine government’s climate priorities under its National Climate Change Action Plan 2011–2028 and the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, according to the lender.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News