The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that the P91.4-million dike collapsed in Barangay Candating was due to “over-saturation of the underlying soil layers”.
The MGB said that heavy rains “resulted from riverbank failure caused by over-saturation of the underlying soil layers with groundwater brought about by heavy rainfalls from Super Typhoon Carina and enhanced southwest monsoon.”
Pampanga Third District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. conducted a consultation with government agencies on the repair of said facility.
“The project, a 110.2-meter flood mitigation structure, suffered damage due to a combination of natural forces and design vulnerabilities,” Gonzales said during the consultation meeting at the House of Representatives last week.
The consultation included representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the DENR, and local officials.
“The repair is expected to be completed by April 2025 at no cost to the government, as the project is still under warranty (by the contractor),” Gonzales said.
Gonzales also addressed rumors of his family’s involvement in the project.
“Marami pong fake news ang kumakalat na pilit inuugnay ako at ang aking pamilya sa pagkasira ng dike. Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, wala po akong kinalaman, o ang aking pamilya, sa implementasyon ng programang ito,” he said.
The DPWH has confirmed that “Gonzales or his family were not the contractor of the Candating project.”
The DPWH said that the project is under Eddmari Construction and Trading Co.