Pampanga gov steps up disaster preparedness efforts
CITY OF
SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, July 30 (PNA) - As part of the disaster
preparedness effort of the provincial government, Pampanga Governor
Lilia Pineda on Wednesday gave a marching order to the municipal mayors
to monitor and report the segments of the Arnedo dike in critical
condition in their respective municipalities.
Pineda cited the need to prioritize the strengthening of the
more than 70-year-old Arnedo dike to avoid scouring that causes
perennial flooding in most of the barangays situated alongside of the
Pampanga river.
The Arnedo dike is said to be the defense and protection of
the people, especially in Pampanga's fourth district, against huge water
flowing from bodies of water nearby, particularly from the Pampanga
River.
However, it was severely damaged and is continuously
deteriorating due to frequent collapse in almost all sections of the
dike from the towns of Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit and
up to Masantol and Macabebe.
Director Roland Pineda of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said
the portion of the dike in barangays Cupang and Guemasan should be
given utmost concern as its eventual collapse might put endanger the
municipality of Arayat and nearby towns.
The MGB director also mentioned the scoured portion of
Arnedo in San Luis as he added that its continuous collapse might give
gargantuan problem on flooding.
With this, the governor said the provincial government will
initiate the strengthening of the said dike y through palliative measure
such as bamboo cribbing and sandbagging operations.
She said that with the meager budget of the Provincial
Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) amounting to only P66-million, they
could not implement long term projects such as revetment or slope
protection.
The governor said long term projects should be coordinated
with national agencies such as the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
for fund augmentation.
However, she said that what is important right now as the
rainy season comes is the disaster preparedness.
With this, she asked the municipal mayors through their
municipal disaster focal persons to submit report on the partial and
totally damaged portions of the dikes.
“The dike’s damaged report will be used in the
decision-making of the provincial government on how it could augment the
municipal budget for the implementation of palliative measures to be
undertaken by the respective municipalities in partnership with the
provincial government,” Pineda said.
The governor said the local government units should focus
their attention not mostly on relief goods and provision of floodwater
equipment such as motor boats and other gears but on how to strengthen
the Arnedo dike and riverbanks.
She stressed that if the municipalities could control and
prevent floods, there is no need for the LGUs to prepare for the relief
goods. (PNA)
LAP/zst/JM/ps
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