DPWH: Ongoing projects to address flooding in Bulacan, Pampanga

The 60-kilometer floodway project that will be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will significantly help in addressing the flooding problem Bulacan and Pampanga, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said Wednesday.

The DPWH chief made the remark at a Senate hearing after Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva aired his frustration over the persistent flooding problem in both areas despite the huge funding for flood control programs.

Bonoan, in response, said that there are already undergoing projects that are expected to ease flooding problems in Bulacan and Pampanga. This include the Pampanga River Floodway and the San Antonio Swamp Ring Dike.

“This will be the major project that we think will be able to contribute significantly to address the flooding problems in Bulacan and Pampanga. This is going to be a construction of a 60 kilometer floodway, 400-meter wide po,” the DPWH chief said.

“This is an ADB-financed [project]. We have committed to finance this project. We are arranging the financial arrangements with ADB for the conduct of the detailed engineering design,” he added.

According to Bonoan, the project may start by 2024 and is on top of the proposed water impounding facility in Central Luzon.

He also informed the panel about an ongoing Korea-assisted project in low-lying areas in Pampanga.

At the latter part of the hearing, Bonoan said a “quick fix” to the problem of flooding is to continue the desilting and dredging operations.

“We have noted po na nai-stop talaga ‘yung desilting and dredging operations for many years na po. Many years,” Bonoan said.

Senator Bong Revilla, who presided over the hearing, recalled his suggestion to Bonoan to procure backhoes instead of contracting the desilting and dredging services.

“Dahil kung ba-budgetan natin yan every year na magde-dredge ka d’yan, ang laki-laki talaga ng gastos ng gobyerno. Mas makakatipid tayo kung magbibigay ka ng backhoe sa bawat city, municipality na binabaha. Ganon ang gawin natin,” Revilla said.

The fuel for these backhoes could be funded by the local government units, he added.

The massive flooding in Bulacan and other parts of the country triggered the Senate hearing into the status of flood control programs of the government. —VAL, GMA Integrated News