Borongan City
Eastern Samar
Barangay Bugas in Borongan City is very vulnerable to coastal flooding and storm surge as it directly faces the Pacific Ocean. A national road that connects the city to other parts of Eastern Samar is adjacent to the shoreline. There are also residential communities along the national road.
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The proposed project site is located at the northernmost end of Barangay Bugas along the national road. In 2013, during the onset of Typhoon Haiyan, this area was severely struck by the storm surge which totally devastated homes along this area. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Debris deposited along the national road during that incident, temporarily stalled the passing of public and private transport vehicles.
The national road is parallel to the eastern coast and is the main connection between downtown Borongan City and the adjacent municipality of San Julian and the rest northern municipalities of the province. Buses from the capital of Manila using the roll-on/roll-off ferries use this road to access southern municipalities.
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From 2018 to 2019, the Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar Engineering Office implemented flood control and mitigation projects, including installing concrete tetrapods to protect the Bugas Bridge segment of the road.
Although there are mangroves in this proposed project area, these are already denuded and sparse.
An inland embankment, combined with vegetation as vetiver grass, shall be constructed to protect the national road and the surrounding communities that will protect the area from storm surge.
Another layer of protection is the mangrove enrichment along the coast that will absorb the storm surge. During the enrichment process, an offshore breakwater will be provided to protect the mangrove seedlings from the waves.
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Bolstering the coastal edge in Barangay Bugas using green-gray infrastructure may unlock multiple benefits including:
• Reduce the impact of flooding and storm surges on key infrastructure, homes, and businesses
• Generate jobs associated with mangrove rehabilitation
• Improve the livelihoods of smaller scale fisherfolk
• Enhance marine biodiversity
Ultimately, the pilot can make a case for the citywide adoption of nature-based strategies in coastal protection to:
• Promote low carbon and inclusive development
• Facilitate Borongan City’s adaptation to climate change
• Restore the blue carbon ecosystems in Borongan City
Location Map 1
Location Map 2
Existing tetrapods for protection of Borongan National Highway
Existing mangroves along Borongan’s coastline
Concept Strategy Plan
Concept Strategy Blow-up Plan
Concept Strategy Typical Section