DPWH proposes dams to curb flooding amid local resistance 

Following another severe flood that recently submerged parts of 39-hectare Strawberry Farm and contributed to over ₱1 billion in agricultural and infrastructure losses across Benguet, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is eyeing the construction of at least five “detention basins,” each 5 meters high, around the valley’s perimeter. 

Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon outlined the small dam-like structures during an Aug. 21 meeting with Cordillera leaders, framing the proposal as a long-term solution under a ‘new mountain engineering framework.’

According to DPWH engineers, the basins are intended to mitigate the flow of water from the mountains toward the valley floor. Once the water is contained, larger drainage networks and storm gates would divert it into the Balili River. 

The initiative comes as local leaders face public criticism on social media whenever flooding affects agricultural areas, resulting in flooded fields and delayed harvests. 

However, the proposal faces opposition from Indigenous communities, environmental groups, and civil society networks in the Cordillera. 

Organizations such as the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and local elders have historically opposed dams and detention structures across the region, citing risks of community displacement, alteration of natural waterways, potential slope instability in mountainous terrain, and the loss of ancestral land. 

Critics have often argued that hard-engineering projects overlook holistic watershed management and concrete structures over Indigenous land stewardship. 

The detention basin plan also highlights recurring questions regarding the efficacy of past flood control interventions in the municipality. 

In November 2025, the DPWH completed  a ₱177 million “floodwater interceptor pipe” along Bolo Creek—a project previously inspected by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong during his tenure with the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). 

Designed as a 348-meter-long high-grade polyethylene siphoning system paired with auxiliary pumps, the interceptor was intended to divert high-volume runoff into the Balili River with the aim of reducing persistent flooding at the Strawberry Farm. 

Yet, during recent monsoon rains, knee-deep floodwaters once again inundated farms, prompting emergency deployments from the Philippine Red Cross and leading the Municipality of La Trinidad and the Province of Benguet to declare a state of calamity. 

As Benguet government agencies continue to assess the area’s drainage requirements, recurring flooding continues to prompt debate over the long-term capacity of existing and proposed infrastructure.