All 26 barangays in Masantol, Pampanga flooded

All 26 barangays in the municipality of Masantol in Pampanga remain flooded even with less rain, due to overflow from the Pampanga River.

In a report by Joseph Morong on "24 Oras," it is difficult to tell where the Pampanga River begins and the roads end in Masantol, where more than 20,000 families are forced to carry on amid thigh-high waters that have barely receded since Typhoon Dodong passed through last month.

While the fishports in Bebe Anac and houses in the municipality remain submerged in floodwater, residents of Purok Dalakitan have taken boats as modes of transportation.

Even at the church and the municipal hall there is knee-high flood, which could go higher once the tide comes in. Masantol acts as a catch basin where water from other areas ends up.

“Mayroon pong delay ang pagbaba ng tubig sa amin. After the high tide, 'yung 'pong tubig-ulan sa taas, sa San Fernando, sa Macabebe, sa amin po bababa,” Masantol Mayor Jose Antonio Bustos said.

Bustos is seeking assistance for the construction of a dike or floodwall in the town.

“We cannot rely sa mga pagtataas ng daan, we cannot rely po sa paggawa po ng check gates. I'm calling po sa amin pong national agencies, kung local budget lamang po namin, hindi po namin kakayanin,” he said. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News