DAVAO CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is moving to strengthen flood defenses along the Talomo River after a powerful July 24 flash flood overwhelmed existing river dikes and inundated communities in Davao City.
Construction is now underway on additional gabion walls near the Taal Bailey Bridge in Barangay Talomo Proper, with work reportedly continuing day and night. The project is intended to raise sections of the river defense system and reduce the risk of another sudden overflow.
The urgency follows the July 24 flooding, when heavy rain in the upland areas caused the Talomo River to swell rapidly. According to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), floodwaters reached about eight feet in the affected community and overwhelmed portions of the existing dikes. The City Social Welfare and Development Office recorded 220 affected families, or around 800 individuals, in Barangay Talomo.
Gabion walls become the immediate defense
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the dredging of the Talomo River and the construction of additional gabions during his July 29 inspection of the flood-hit area.
Dredging began on July 31, followed by construction of the gabion dikes. Funding for the immediate flood-control work will come from the government’s Quick Response Fund (QRF).
Gabions are wire-mesh cages filled with rocks or similar materials. They are commonly used in riverbank protection because they help stabilize slopes, reduce erosion and reinforce flood-control structures.
DPWH said some portions of the existing dike were being removed during the work, prompting concerns from residents. The agency clarified that the removal was part of preparatory work intended to establish a stronger foundation for the new gabion walls.
Why the Talomo River became a major concern
The July flooding was not an isolated incident.
Reports from PNA and other news organizations said heavy rains in Davao’s mountainous areas caused rivers to rise rapidly even as rainfall conditions were less severe in some low-lying communities. Residents in parts of Talomo and Tugbok were forced to evacuate, while some people sought refuge on rooftops as floodwaters rose.
Philstar also reported that Dizon ordered immediate dredging after learning that the Talomo River had not undergone desilting for roughly a decade. The secretary said heavy siltation could have contributed to the river’s reduced capacity during flooding.
The situation has renewed questions about the city’s long-term flood-control infrastructure. Philstar reported that DPWH records showed more than P690 million worth of flood-mitigation projects had been implemented in the Talomo River area since 2018.
Bigger flood-control plan still ahead
The new gabion walls and dredging are being treated as immediate measures rather than a complete solution.
DPWH has also pointed to the need for a broader flood-control strategy for Davao City. A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-supported master plan, completed in 2023, covers riverine, inland and coastal flooding involving the Davao, Matina and Talomo river basins.
Dizon said the government is looking at funding the broader flood-control master plan in 2027, while possible upstream measures could include retention basins or dams designed to slow water rushing from mountainous areas toward the city.
The JICA flood-control study itself identified gabion revetments and dikes as among the structures being used along the Talomo River, while also noting that Davao’s existing flood-control system has gaps and limitations.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also directed Dizon during his Davao visit on July 28 to address the situation and raise the dikes to better protect the affected community.
The bigger question now
For residents living beside the Talomo River, the new gabion walls offer an immediate layer of protection. But the July 24 disaster has exposed a much larger challenge: whether short-term repairs and river works can keep pace with increasingly dangerous flash-flood conditions.
With dredging underway, new gabions rising and a broader flood-control master plan still awaiting funding, attention is now turning to what happens before the next major upstream rain sends the Talomo River rising again.
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