Entrepreneurial Farmer

New Tambak Bridge

by Ambrosio R. Villorente

Congratulations to the DPWH for the reconstruction of Tambak Bridge in New Washington, Aklan. Sea water can now have a free flow from the sea during high tide to the Lagatik river. On the other hand, water at Lagatik river is drained to the sea during low tide. This free flow of water under the new reconstructed Tambak bridge will enable fishpond operators in New Washington to follow proper water management in their fishpond. Polluted water can be drained and replaced with clean water from the sea.

Tambak Bridge used to have enough depth and width where water freely circulated and small fishing boats passed through it. However, in about 1996, that bridge was demolished and replaced with another. The engineer put six (6) small culverts suppose to allow the free flow of water through it.

But it did not. Those culverts impeded the flow of water. There was pollution in the river, and milkfish production in the area decreased. Flood water stayed longer which affected adversely farm crops and livestock.

As chair of the Aklan Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council at that time, I brought the matter to the attention of New Washington Mayor Edgar R. Peralta and then Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez. The two officials acted fast. With the DPWH District Engineer, Mayor Peralta, Gov. Marquez and I met in the Office of the Provincial Governor. We discussed how to restore the free flow of water in Tambak Bridge. The DPWH Engineer assured Gov. Marquez, and Mayor Peralta that Tambak Bridge will be rebuilt to restore the free flow of water and minimize flood damages.

In about seven (7) years, the free circulation of water in Tambak bridge is restored. Flooding will also be minimized during heavy rains and prevent crop damages or even lost of lives and properties.

Thank you very much DPWH Aklan.

Spanish Red Cross

Among the municipalities in Aklan badly damaged by Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013 are Balete and Madalag. The Spanish Red Cross with its humanitarian desire decided to assist typhoon victims in those two towns. Their assistance is designed to effect early recovery and continuous progress by way of providing core shelters and livelihood projects to typhoon victims.

In Madalag, Spanish Red Cross (SRC) will construct 499 core shelters and 748 in Balete or a total of 1,247 units. Each unit cost an average P80,000. This will be provided for families which houses are totally damaged.

For those families whose houses were partially damaged, P12,000 each is given plus building materials needed for the reconstruction. SRC targeted 1,052 families of those partially damaged houses in Madalag, and 1,701 in Balete. The livelihood assistance are designed to put up projects in agriculture, small business and fishing.

Of these targets, some 552 core shelters are completed and 2,739 houses are reconstructed. In the livelihood assistance, 3,025 beneficiaries had already received P6,000 each or a total of P18.15 million.

In addition, 47 projects in Balete and Madalag will be constructed along health such as on potable water impounding and health center construction. Classrooms fully furnished for education are constructed. As of this writing, 33 projects are fully completed: 28 in Madalag and five (5) in Balete.

Thank you Spanish Red Cross which is represented in Aklan by Mr. Louis Carascoso. /MP