As this developed, Governor Lilia Nanay Pineda asked why the DPWH only requested the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for the approval of more than P900-million for the rehabilitation of the damaged portions of Arnedo dike due to typhoons Lando and Nona when in fact it is needing P20-billion for its total rehab.
“Ang nangyayari kasi kaunti-kaunti iyong ginagawa ninyo, papatse-patse. Tapos gawa ngayon sira bukas. Nasasayang lang ang pera ng gobyerno sa pinaggagawa ninyo. Maraming ng nasayang na pera ba’t hindi iyong ipanukala ninyo iyong pangmatagalang solusyon sa problema,” Governor told the DPWH.
Malaluan said the DPWH is doing its best to ask for the needed budgetary requirement however, the DPWH Regional Office has the ceiling and limitation on how much to request and P20-billion is highly improbable to be approved by both houses of Congress for Pampanga River bank alone.
With this reasoning, Governor Pineda asked all national line agencies in the region and all local government officials in the province to converge, unite and join forces in appealing to the presidential, congressional and senatorial bets in the upcoming 2016 national elections to commit first on giving huge budget for the long term and permanent solution of the perennial scouring of Arnedo dike which put in danger the lives of thousands of Cabalen not only in the 4th but also in the 3rd district of the province should the dike’s scouring continues every now and then.
Engr. William “Bong” Bustos, assistant district engineer of DPWH Pampanga 1st District Engineering Office said they are now working for the rehabilitation of the damaged portion of dike in Barangay Cupang with the amount of P45-million and another P50-million in the scoured section of the dike in San Luis town.
Bustos also disclosed that the scoured slope protection of the Arnedo in Barangay Mandasig, Candaba town has already a budget of P29-million and it is now up for rehabilitation by the winning contractor – Edmari Construction.
The governor said the DPWH has never learned from the lessons of the past that sectional rehabilitation and construction of the Arnedo dike does not solve the perennial scouring but it only aggravates the situation losing the national government millions of pesos in rehabilitation efforts.
“What the Arnedo dike or Pampanga River Bank needs is total reconstruction of its whole 36 kilometer stretch so it could last for a long time and we need a committee to closely monitor this proposal,” she said.
Regional Director Severino Santos of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) seconded the observation of the governor.
Santos said the already formed Pampanga River Basin Committee should be activated and strengthened for the purpose of studying, recommending and working for the realization of the proposed projects suggested by the governor.
The meeting held here facilitated by Angelina Blanco, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office and the governor was attended by Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr, San Luis Mayor Venancio Macapagal, Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Bon Alejandrino, Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque, San Simon Mayor Leonora Wong, Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Josefina Timoteo, DSWD Regional Director Gemma Gabuya, NHA Pampanga Manager Ines Gonzales and DPWH Engr. Lita Manalo and PNP Police Provincial Director Rodolfo Recomono Jr.
