Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means, and Appropriations, expressed support on Tuesday for the proposed resettlement of families living in danger zones, saying the city should move forward with local solutions while larger flood control projects undergo national and international processes.
Dayanghirang said he supports the proposal initiated by Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Jr. to relocate residents living along coastlines and riverbanks to safer areas.
Mahipus, chairperson of the Committee on Housing, Urban and Rural Development, authored the Local Shelter Plan for 2022–2031, a long-term housing framework approved last year that aims to address the needs of thousands of families awaiting safe and dignified relocation.
Mahipus said Davao City faces a housing deficit of 77,850 units, including 9,578 households living in shared housing, 68,237 displaced families, and 35 homeless individuals. He said displaced families include those living in hazardous areas, those affected by infrastructure projects, those facing demolition or eviction, and those occupying government or private properties.
Dayanghirang emphasized that relocating families from high-risk areas would help reduce the impact of flooding, particularly in communities situated along rivers and coastal zones.
“Para kaning mga kilid sa baybay, kilid sa sapa, we can also we can already resettle it,” he said.
Dayanghirang identified several flood-prone areas in the city’s First District, including Barangays Talomo, Matina Pangi, and Bangkal, noting that these communities continue to experience flooding during heavy rains due to the swelling of the Pangi River.
“Napansin nako ang permi maigo diri kaning sa Balusong, permi baha gyud na, ang Talomo and Pangi, Pangi, Talomo area and Matina,” he said.
In the Second District, Dayanghirang said flooding has been somewhat mitigated, particularly near La Verna in Buhangin. However, he noted that several communities remain vulnerable whenever intense rainfall occurs.
Dayanghirang also said the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), together with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), is preparing programs to address flooding, assuring the public that the City Council would support these initiatives.
Asked about the flood mitigation master plan prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dayanghirang explained that the study remains in the proposal stage and must still undergo national government processes before implementation.
He said any JICA-funded infrastructure project, particularly those involving loans, must be processed through national agencies such as the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with the national government serving as guarantor.
Dayanghirang noted that while the national government typically guarantees such loans, local government units are often required to provide counterpart funding, similar to the city’s public bus modernization project.
Despite ongoing discussions with international funding agencies, Dayanghirang stressed that the city should not delay implementing flood mitigation measures that can already be carried out using local resources.
