Vice-Guv wants additional DPWH budget for Pampanga

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga Vice-Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda is set to ask his colleagues at the Pampanga Provincial Board (PB) to pass a resolution requesting the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to increase the agency's budget for Pampanga.

The vice-governor is asking the DPWH to increase funding for 2017 to fund additional flood-control measures and infrastructure.

The move aims to support the appeal of Governor Lilia Pineda against the budget cut in DPWH's projects in the province from P4.003 billion in 2016 to P2.27 billion in 2017.

DPWH Central Luzon Director Antonio Molano, Jr. reported that the budget reduction in his presentation during the infrastructure preparedness meeting attended by Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, local officials, leaders of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PamCham) and heads of regional agencies at the LausGroup Events Centre here last Wednesday.

Molano reported that of the P31-billion proposed budget for Central Luzon next year, only P15 billion worth of projects were included in the National Expenditure Program for the General Appropriations Act.

The P31 billion was confirmed by the Regional Development Council (RDC), according to Renato Romero, vice-chair of PamCham and head of private sector representatives in the RDC, the highest policy-making body in the region.

Arroyo asked Molano to provide information on the 2016 DPWH regional budget, how this was spent and if savings were generated. She said she would seek a budget increase if the information shows the need for such action.

"Hindi puede na mabawasan ang budget para sa mga proyekto ng DPWH sa Pampanga. Tapunan tayo ng tubig-baha. Bakit tayo babawasan? Ano'ng mangyayari sa two billion pesos?" Pineda asked.

At the height of the habagat (southwest monsoon) rains enhanced by low pressure area from August 12 to 20, as much as 190 barangays in the City of San Fernando and 16 towns in the province were flooded, affecting 76,924 families (345,824 people) and drowning at least two persons. Damages to crops and fisheries were initially estimated at P102.3 million.

The risk of flooding is higher in Pampanga because it is located downstream of the Pampanga River, which drains all 30 river systems in Central Luzon to Manila Bay. The province also takes in water from the Pasig-Potrero, Sacobia-Abacan and Porac-Gumain rivers before these drain to Pasac River toward Manila Bay, said Angelina Blanco, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council officer.

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