Butuan City can now say goodbye to its decades-old flood problem as a multi-million drainage project is underway in the heart of the city. which is being funded mainly out of its share in the national government’s Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).

Butuan City received the biggest chunk of the LGSF – a total of P60-million among other local government units (LGUs) in Caraga for being a recipient of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH). One of the criteria for the distribution of the LGSF is that the LGU should be an SGH recipient from the DILG.

The Seal of Good Housekeeping is being conferred to local governments that adhere to the tenets of good governance by complying with the Full Disclosure Policy and for having no adverse Commission on Audit (COA) report.

DILG XIII OIC-Regional Director Lilibeth Famacion said that the drainage project will also be supported by the city government under the leadership of Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. who pledged to chip in around P37.7-M from the city government funds.

“Being the catch basin of the flow of water in the region, the city is prone to flooding, which causes destruction to properties and displacement of residents. The flooding of the city is aggravated as the city has no proper drainage system,” said Famacion.

When completed, the drainage system will contain about 50 % floodwaters in the city, according to the city government’s engineering division which is responsible for the project’s supervision and ground works.

The lady director expressed hope that the project will not only improve the competitiveness of the city in terms of its tourism industry, but more importantly, its benefits will redound to all the Butuanons.

The Drainage Project, which includes the rehabilitation and de-clogging of the creeks in the target areas, will be implemented along T. Sanchez St. – Montilla Blvd. – Villa Kananga Creek and JCT. T. Calo – Villa Kananga Creek in the city. - Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa

DILG Central News Archive DILG Regional News Archive