DPWH vows to repair infra damages immediately

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson vowed Friday to address immediately the clamor of officials and flood-affected residents in Pampanga.

During the meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Luzon Committee on Infrastructure Development where mayors and governors from Central Luzon presented damage reports, Singson said the DPWH will start working on damaged infrastructure, particularly the San Fernando-Sto. Tomas-Minalin Tail Dike in Pampanga that was breached at the onset of the southwest monsoon, resulting in massive flooding in this city and the fourth district towns of Sto. Tomas, Minalin, Macabebe, Masantol and parts of Apalit and San Luis.

Heavily silted waterways also inundated portions of Arayat, Sta. Ana, Mexico, Bacolor, Lubao and Guagua.

“We will address the problem of the tail dike immediately and start working on more feasible measures today. There is also the need to strengthen the Arayat-Apalit Setback Levee. Maraming dapat gawin dito sa Pampanga at ibang parts ng Region III (Central Luzon),” Singson told reporters.

Concerning the budget of P840 million needed for repairs, Singson noted: “We will work on that immediately, too.”

RDC chairman Mayor Oscar Rodriguez told Sun.Star Pampanga that Singson’s statements were signs of relief for officials and Kapampangans.

“Parang ang President na rin ang nagsalita sa mga pangako ni Secretary Singson dahil iyun ang pangako ng Pangulo. We are relieved with that dahil iyung gagawin ay marami at long-term basis like the immediate rechanneling of waterways sa Megadike. Salamat at pinuntahan tayo ni Secretary Singson katulad ng ipinangako niya,” Rodriguez said.

But for Mayor Arturo Naguit of Minalin, the DPWH should “use resources wisely” in addressing the problems of damaged infrastructure like the tail dike.

“We have met with them for several times and we proposed that we just purchase about eight backhoes and a barge for P89 million rather than use the whole P270 million recently allocated for dredging approaches to the tail dike. Mabagal pa rin ang trabaho nila,” said Naguit.

At present, he said it is the local government unit that is paying from whatever is left from its calamity fund for the fees of the backhoe and barge being used in works in Dalan Pari.