DPWH: Repair of damaged seawall nearly done

With a budget of more than P40 million, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) expects to wrap up in a month’s time the rehabilitation of the heavily-damaged seawall behind the Coconut Palace in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex.

Reynaldo Tagudando, DPWH-National Capital Region director, said on Tuesday that the repair and strengthening of the more than 100-meter portion of the seawall would most likely be completed next month.

He added that once the work was done, the area would once again serve as one of the best spots for viewing Manila Bay’s famous sunset.

Like the newly-constructed 1.35-km seawall on Roxas Boulevard and its counterpart behind Rizal Park which is about 70 percent complete, the CCP complex seawall will be nearly 10 inches higher compared to its previous height of 18 inches. From 80 centimeters, its width will measure 120 centimeters.

The seawall which has been in a bad state for more than a year will also feature what the agency calls “wave deflectors” or concave surfaces that can absorb and reduce the impact of strong waves and deflect it to the sea, Tagudando added.

In March, the DPWH official said they would push through with the repair of the damaged seawall despite real estate firm Manila Goldcoast Development Corp.’s plan to turn a 148-hectare portion of Manila Bay into a commercial, business, residential and tourism hub to be called “Solar City.” The seawall is located within the proposed project site.

Tagudando, however, added that Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson had instructed them to “finish the CCP complex seawall as soon as possible.”

The cost of rehabilitating the Roxas Boulevard seawall was placed at P94 million, far above the initial estimate of P81 million. On the other hand, the repair of the Rizal Park seawall is expected to reach at least P40 million.

The makeover of Roxas Boulevard and neighboring areas is part of the P250-million Roxas Boulevard Park Redevelopment Project of the Department of Tourism in time for two major international conferences to be hosted by the Philippines next year.