PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday ordered an extensive study on the proposed construction of water impounding systems in Bulacan and Pampanga to address the flooding problem in the two provinces even while short term solutions such as dredging and desilting of rivers and swamp in the areas are already being done.
The President made the directive as he visited and checked the situation in the two provinces and led the distribution of government aid to those affected by typhoons Egay and Falcon and the continuous rains caused by the southwest monsoon.
Marcos conducted an aerial inspection on his way to the two provinces before attending a situational briefing from local government officials.
In a separate briefing, the President appealed to the private and public sectors to keep an open mind as he inquired about the causes of the flooding, the continued presence of trapped flood waters, and possible solutions to the problem, apart from the impact of the weather disturbances and the other needs of affected communities.
Former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, who attended the situational briefing in Pampanga, presented a proposal on the construction of a catchment or rain impounding area in Candaba to control the flooding.
Singson said the proposed impounding area would be less than 10 percent of the more than 2,000 hectares area of the Candaba swamp, or only around 200 hectares, following concerns raised by Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondok that the construction might affect the livelihood of over 9,000 residents in the town, who are mostly palay farmers.
In opposing Singson’s proposal, Bondo instead pushed for the approval of the Candaba River Cut-Off Channel Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which will include putting slope protection works on both banks to lessen the severity of flooding when the Pampanga River overflows or swell.
Marcos said the proposed impounding water system is in conformity with the provisions of Republic Act No. 6716 that mandates the construction of rainwater collectors.
He said the impounding areas will be huge and could cover around 200 hectares of land and could also be a source of water for irrigation and for household use, aside from helping in flood mitigation.
He said there is also a possibility that the impounding areas can be used for power generation if there’s geographic suitability.
The President said the organization of an Office of Water Resources Management under the Office of the President, while waiting for the creation of the Department of Water Resources Management, will oversee the implementation of the mitigating measures discussed during the meeting.
Marcos stressed it is time to consider new measures to address flooding and cushion the impact of weather disturbances which have been heavily affected by climate change, noting that heavy rains and flooding are now felt even during the summer or dry season and even during the El Niño period.
“Lahat ng karanasan natin tungkol sa panahon, wala na iyan. The weather is changing. Hindi na tayo babalik sa dati. Ganito na ang climate change. I’m sorry. It’s really bad news and we all don’t want to deal with it, but we have to (Everything we know about the weather is no longer applicable. The weather is changing. We are not going back to how things used to be. This is the reality of climate change. I’m sorry. It’s really bad news and we all don’t want to deal with it, but we have to),” he said.
The President also assured the Pampangeños that the national government would not let the residents of Candaba and the rest of the province suffer.
“Do not worry when it comes to the LGUs. Kayo naman ay hindi namin basta… sasagasaan na lang ‘yung project. Hindi namin gagawin iyun. Unang-una, kayo mag-a-approve nito. Hindi naman ma-approve ito kung ayaw ninyo. Kayo mag-approve nito na kukuha ng 10 percent (land) para paglagyan ng impounding (Do not worry when it comes to the LGUs. We will never run you over. We will not do that. First of all, you will be the one to approve this. This will not be approved if you do not want it. You will approve the 10 percent land where the impounding areas will be located),” he said.
The President said that apart from the impounding system, which is a long-term solution, other short-term solutions to immediately address the flooding are the conduct of dredging which would be effective for four to six months, and the elevation of some structures such as bridges in San Simon, also in Pampanga, to ease heavy traffic in the area especially during flooding.
During his trip, Marcos approved both Singson’s and Bondok’s proposals and ordered the DPWH to look at other areas with existing dredging machines that are not in use and can be borrowed. He said the dredging machines in Pampanga were either already too old and not functioning properly or in need of repair.
In Bulacan, provincial Gov. Daniel Fernando raised a similar problem with its dredging machines, while local officials expressed openness to putting up a water impounding system in the province.
Fernando said that while several towns remain flooded, many of the families who were evacuated during typhoons Egay and Falcon have already returned to their homes.
The President assured families whose houses were destroyed by the flooding in Bulacan that housing, construction materials and other assistance will be provided by the government. More than 90 houses were reportedly damaged in Bulacan.
During the situational briefing and the distribution of aid in Malolos City, President Marcos said that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) are on standby to provide financial help to residents who were left homeless due to flooding.
The President also said he will order the DHSUD to look into the possibility of stockpiling construction materials throughout the country to meet the needs of families after a calamity.
Marcos likewise led the distribution of various government assistance to Pampanga and Bulacan residents affected by the recent calamity, assuring them of continuous government support including emergency cash assistance on top of the family food packs (FFPs) and non-food relief items which can be used to purchase their needs such as milk and medicines.
Among the agencies that extended assistance to Pampanga residents include the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the department has already sent 75,000 and 95,000 FFPs and non-relief items to the two provinces and is set to deliver 105,000 more.
The DSWD also distributed food packs and P10,000 each under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program to 1,000 beneficiaries, while DOLE provided a total of P2.3 million to 500 beneficiaries from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating mga Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program in Pampanga.
The DOLE has a standby fund of P65 million for around 14,000 TUPAD beneficiaries and downloaded on August 4 another P30 million for the TUPAD program in Pampanga through its regional office.
The agency awarded P6.4 million worth of livelihood assistance under its DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) to seven LGUs, namely: Candaba, Macabebe, Masantol, Arayat, Porac, and Sta. Ana, Pampanga.
The DA, meanwhile, awarded a certificate worth P21.6 million to the province of Pampanga that includes 13,354 bags of certified seeds worth P20.2 million for 8,723 farmer-beneficiaries; 186 bags of hybrid yellow corn and 15 bags of open-pollinated variety worth P1.1 million to 154 farmer-beneficiaries; and assorted vegetable seeds worth P230,000 to 162 farmer-beneficiaries.
As of August 6, the DSWD recorded a total of 214,343 families who were affected by the flooding incident in the different towns of Pampanga.
In Bulacan, local officials said 1.08 million individuals (296,426 families) were affected by the flooding.
Damage was recorded at P768.67 million, of which P244.4 million is for agriculture, P24.26 million for livestock and poultry, and P500 million for infrastructure.
The President led the distribution of aid to the province including a total of P15 million to the City of Malolos, and the towns of San Miguel, Hagonoy, Pulilan, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, Bustos, Calumpit, Paombong and Bulakan.
DSWD said its Central Luzon Regional Office has already provided more than P 46.4 million worth of relief assistance to the local government units (LGUs) in the region with over P19.1 million distributed to the localities of Pampanga.
In Marikina City, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said there have been no reports of flooding in the area in the past days, thanks largely to the dredging operation of the city government. — With Christian Oineza
