Seawalls to protect Aklan coastal communities

Lives and properties along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue in New Washington and Brgy. Unidos in Nabas, both in Aklan province, will be protected from water overflow with the construction of seawalls by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Aklan District Engineering Office.

Citing the report of District Engineer (DE) Alejandro M. Ventilacion, DPWH 6 Regional Director (RD) Lea N. Delfinado said the additional seawall in New Washington is already completed while the one in Nabas nears completion.

“To date, the seawall in Brgy. Unidos in Nabas, Aklan is roughly 70 percent accomplished and we are expecting to complete the project on or before the scheduled August 10, 2021 completion date,” Delfinado said.

The P22.988-million New Washington seawall involves the construction of 178.18 meters shore protection (seawall) resting on 4.5-meter long, 0.4-meter-wide reinforced concrete sheet piles with reinforced concrete back wall.

The project also involves construction of 0.2-meter-thick upper bank protection to ensure safety of the residents living along the coastline.

“The Department has already built a total of 2.29 kilometers of seawall along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue, and we are planning to build more shore protection structures along various coastal areas in the province and the whole region,” Delfinado said.

The Php 23.5-million breakwater and seawall project in Nabas town involves construction of 162.8 meters shore protection (seawall) with 0.2-meter thick crest protection and Portland Concrete Cement Pavement (PCCP).

“These seawalls will protect the shoreline from further erosion caused by seasonal wave impacts. Thus, the national road will be protected from being damaged, allowing easy and faster transport of goods from Dumaguit Port to other places in the province and neighboring province,” Ventilacion said.

“These projects will also shield the people living along the coastline from natural catastrophe like flashfloods and water surge,” he added. DPWHR6/RPAIO

The 178-meter seawall built by DPWH along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue in New Washington, Aklan. (Photo courtesy of DPWH, Aklan DEO)