ORANI, Bataan – The chief of Bataan’s first engineering district on Thursday announced that as long term solution to severe flooding in the province, the Department of Public Works and Highways has approved the feasibility study on an Integrated Flood Control program.
District Engr. Wilfredo Mallari said the project will be implemented in Lubao, Pampanga and the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa and Orani in Bataan.
He said the program is on its engineering stage.
He said that a diversion channel each will be constructed at the Caulaman River in Pampanga and in Palihan, Hermosa where a big bridge is already in place. With a diversion channel in Caulaman, flood water in Lubao will go directly to the Pampanga rivers and no longer to Bataan.
Mallari said the estimated cost many years ago was at P2.5 billion to P3 billion but could not be determined as of the present in the absence of an area for dredge materials.
“Sa laki ng volume to dredge, we need 164 hectares of holding area but as of now we have only 94 hectares so hindi pa ma-determine ang exact cost ng project,” the district engineer said. He said that distance of hauling dredge materials has to be considered.
Mallari said the project will be under foreign or local funding.
Mayor Danilo Malana of Hermosa said the problem will be a yearly occurrence if no meaningful program will be made. “Hindi ito kaya ng local governments dahil kailangan multi-million pesos to address the flood problem,” he said.
The mayor said the root cause is the heavy siltation at the mouth of the river in Manila Bay and the Orani channel. “Kapag hindi natanggal ang siltation sa Manila Bay, hindi masusulusyunan ang matagal ng suliraning ito,” he said.
