Govt eyes 'retarding basin' to solve Cavite flooding

The government is considering the construction of a retarding basin to prevent future flooding in Cavite, one of the hardest hit provinces by the recent monsoon rain, President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday.

At present, the government is negotiating to acquire the private land where the retarding basin—a dam built for the purpose of temporary storage of streamflow or surface runoff—will be constructed.  

"Yung baha ho... gagawa na tayo solusyon, iyong malaking maitutulong. May lupa hong pribado, magkakaroon ng tinatawag na retarding basin," Aquino told flood victims at the Tinabunan Elementary School in Imus, Cavite.

Like in a dam, water in a retarding basin is released at controlled rates.

Aquino said they need 50 hectares of land for the basin.

"Hindi na kaya nung Bacoor at saka yung Imus na ilog kunin sabay-sabay [ang tubig-baha]. So pagnakuha ho natin itong lupang ito, at nakikipag-negotiation na tayo ngayon, tinataya hong between one year to one year and a half... talagang malaki ang matatanggal na sitwasyon ng pagbaha dito sa atin," he said.

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman earlier said that the most number of affected residents were from Cavite, which was declared under a state of calamity.

Aquino, meanwhile, said he went to Cavite to personally check on the victims.

"Gusto lang nating masigurado na nasa ayos ho kayong lahat. Alam ninyo, malapit kayo sa puso natin pagkatagal-tagal na, at hindi kayo dapat mapabayaan, at sinisigurado kong hindi nga kayo pinapabayaan," he said.

Aside from Tinabunan, Aquino also visited flood victims at the Binakayan High School in Kawit where he distributed food packs. — KBK, GMA News