MANILA — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday ordered the immediate repair of a damaged tail dike in Minalin, Pampanga, warning that a breach could send water and lahar rushing toward the town proper.
Dizon personally inspected the tail dike which sustained damage following intense rains brought by the southwest monsoon or Habagat over the past month.
“Delikado talaga ‘to kasi pagka umulan ulit tapos nasira ito nang tuluyan, lahat ng tubig tsaka lahar, doon pupunta sa Poblacion ng Minalin. Hindi natin pwedeng payagan yun,” Dizon said.
He said the repair is among the DPWH’s priorities in the area.
“Ngayon na ngayon magmo-mobilize na yung kontratista. Gagawin na ‘to,” he said.
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The tail dike, which Dizon said is already 22 years old, is said to have deteriorated due to wear and tear as well as the rising level of the Gugo River.
“Ang infrastructure, ang kaaway talaga nyan, tubig. Kailangan yan maproteksyunan. Ang problema hindi name-maintain nang tama. Hindi naa-address yung issue ng pagdedredge, pagdedesilt so kahit gaano katagal at tibay ng infra, masisira at masisira,” he said.
Minalin Mayor Philip Naguit said the tail dike also serves as an important access road for residents, further underscoring the urgency of repairs so it can be reopened to motorists.
“Every time na nagkakaroon ng traffic sa JASA (Jose Abad Santos Avenue) road, itong dike natin ang nagsisilbing daanan sa mga bayan na galing Guagua, Floridablanca, Lubao, papuntang Manila, papasok ng NLEX,” he said.
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GUGO RIVER
Dizon also ordered dredging operations along the Gugo River to increase its capacity and help redirect floodwaters toward Sapang Labuan.
He said the river has not undergone proper dredging for around 15 years, allowing lahar, sand and silt to accumulate.
“Fifteen years nang padagdag nang padagdag yung lahar, buhangin, putik dito sa Gugo River. Ang problema, yung Gugo River mas mataas na kaysa sa Minalin,” Dizon said.
“Halos pantay na niya itong dike. So malapit na lang kung hindi natin huhukayin ito at i-dredge ay talagang papantay na yan at dire-diretso na yung lahat ng tubig papunta ng Minalin,” he added.
Dizon said dredging would be carried out by the DPWH in coordination with the provincial and local governments and the private sector.
A new dredging machine is expected to arrive in the area by Tuesday morning.
“Nag-complain sa ‘kin si Vice Gov na yun palang dredger dito 20 years old na halos. Tatlong oras na lang sa isang araw gumagana dahil sobrang luma. May padating nang bagong bagong dredging machine na ipepwesto natin sa Sapang Labuan,” Dizon said.
He said that dredging should not be a one-time intervention and should be done regularly.
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Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis Pineda, who accompanied Dizon during the inspection, said the lack of dredging maintenance in the lower portion of the river system has contributed to the severity of the flooding problem.
Dizon acknowledged that the problems confronting the area had accumulated over decades.
“Kaya nga frustrating itong mga dinatnan nating problema na deka-dekada nang problema pero wala tayong magagawa. Andito na tayo ngayon. Kailangan gawin na natin yung trabaho na unfortunately hindi nagawa,” he said.
NSCR CONSTRUCTION
Dizon also said the DPWH was looking into reports that ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) could be contributing to flooding in some areas of Pampanga.
He said he had asked Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez for a meeting with DOTr (Department of Transportation) technical personnel and NSCR contractors to identify whether construction activities were blocking waterways.
“We’ve seen it already in Valenzuela, in some parts of Bulacan and mukhang nakikita din natin dito sa Pampanga… We have to address that. Hindi pwede yun. Hindi pwedeng may nababara doon dahil lang may kino-construct tayo,” Dizon said.
ABS-CBN News has reached out to the DOTr for comment.