Saturday, May 03, 2008 Maasim dike undergoes rehab By Raymond C. Garcia
CANDABA -- Fourth District Representative Anna York Bondoc-Sagum has said that the Maasim dike, which stretches between the boundaries of San Ildefonso, Bulacan and Vizal, San Pablo here is undergoing rehabilitation.
Sagum said the National Government, through Second District Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, has released some P6-million for the project.
The funds were earmarked for the repair and rehabilitation of the 200-meter stretch of the dike that serve as protection of at least four barangays from flood water, especially during the rainy season.
"The Upper Maasim dike is not really working at its 100 percent capacity, so it really needs to undergo rehabilitation and repair before the coming of this rainy season," Sagum said.
Vizal San Pablo barangay captain Joey Buco said the four barangays include Sto. Cristo, Pulong Gubat, Telapayong and Panclara, which are prime producers of palay in the town.
Sometime in August 2007, the breaching of the said dike had devastated the said four barangays, destroying some 1000 hectares of rice fields.
"Ayaw na nating mangyari iyon kaya gumagawa tayo ng paraan para maiwasan natin ang ganong pangyayari lalo na ngayong malapit na naman ang tag- ulan (We don't want that to happen, thus we are doing this to prevent those kind of things from happening especially as the rainy season is about to come)," she said.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineer Roberto Pascual and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Engineer Donald Sanchez accompanied Sagum in inspecting the dike on Wednesday.
"We will be putting gabions as protections for the slope," Sanchez said.
Buco expressed gratitude to the officials and said the project is a big help for the people in the four barangays.
"Salamat po sa ating mga opisyales na tumutulong sa ating mga pangagailangan lalo na para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kabarangay," said Buco.
Sagum is also scheduled to inspect the on-going rehabilitation of the Mandasig dike and other flood-mitigation projects in the district.
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