In a bid to ensure the safety of a community prone to storm surges, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Wednesday that it has built a seawall structure along the coastline of Casiguran in Aurora Province.

DPWH Regional Office 3 Director Roseller A. Tolentino, in a report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, said that residents of Sitio Minanga in Barangay Calangcuasan in Casiguran town have been reaping the benefits of the completed seawall in the amount of P39.2 million.

The DPWH Aurora District Engineering Office built the 346-linear-meter concrete seawall on a sheet pile foundation for structural stability and installed grouted riprap on its sea-facing side to act as slope protection that prevents scouring and erosion due to strong waves and currents.

With the completion of the seawall, Tolentino said houses near the beach are now protected from potential risks caused by seawater surges.

Aside from protecting lives and properties, a three-meter wide carriageway constructed atop the protective structure also improved transport and access along the coast.

Moreover, local fisherfolk utilize the area near the seawall in anchoring their boats, especially in times of extreme rainy weather.

Tolentino explained that the completed seawall is just the first phase of a bigger effort to safeguard vulnerable areas along the Casiguran Sound from water-related hazards with subsequent phases in the pipeline.