MAGALANG, Pampanga – Gov. Lilia G. Pineda is now requesting the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for dredging machines at the mouth of the Pampanga River.
Pineda said dredgers should be deployed year-round at the mouth of the Pampanga River which serves as a gateway to Manila Bay of fl oodwaters coming from the uplands of Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.
Earlier, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar has already ordered the deployment of two dredging machines to desilt the Pampanga River after inspecting the Mexico spillway recently to assess the effectiveness of the structure in the aftermath of southwest monsoon rains enhanced by tropical storms Henry, Inday and Josie that battered Central Luzon.
Villar’s order came as a response to the request of Pineda for the dredging of the Pampanga River.
On Tuesday, Pineda said the request for new and bigger dredging machines was all she asked from the government agency which was put on record during the hearing on disaster management in Congress recently.
Pineda said her request may be included in the budget for 2019.
As of now, Villar has sent two dredgers in the area because the mouth of the river is only two to three feet deep, the governor said.
“Puwedi naka maglakad keng mouth of Pampanga Bay (You can already walk on the mouth of Pampanga Bay),” she remarked.
“Can you imagine, Pampanga River is 264 kilometers from Nueva Ecija and meandering even through parts of Aurora and all of these waters is drained at the mouth of Pampanga Bay which is choked. What will happen to us?” Pineda asked.
The governor also said the provincial government will help in purchasing the spoils or the silt that will be dredged from the mouth of the river so that it will not be stock piled on the embankment which could cause to silt the river again during heavy rains.
