Subic Freeport locator CST Bluemax Subic Inc. has offered to dredge the river channel of Olongapo for free in an effort to improve the city’s defense against severe flooding.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia announced the proposal during his courtesy call to newly installed Mayor Rolen Paulino.
“The company will dredge the river channel as part of their corporate social responsibility which would cost an estimated P11 million, ”said Garcia.
Olongapo has a long history of flooding with the worst recorded last year at the height of torrential rains brought by the southwest monsoon.
Paulino welcomed the proposal saying the city needs all the help it can get in cleaning up the river channel.
“ We are very much thankful for this proposal, if we (local government) dredge that portion of the river it will cost million of pesos, but here comes a locator inside Subic Freeport that is willing to dredge it for free, what more can we ask for. We will do our part to make this proposal push through, ” the local chief executive said.
In exchange of their services, Bluemax will have the right to market the good quality sand since the company is currently engaged in shipping and selling volcanic sand from Zambales as a reclamation and construction material to Singapore.
The dredging of the river channel between SBMA and Olongapo City was identified as a priority project of SBMA through the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors which formulated the Task Force Subic Bay Clean Up and Rehabilitation.
[mappress]
Press Release, July 22, 2013