(Flores)
HERMOSA, Bataan — The district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the first district of Bataan cited some solutions to minimize flooding as two villages in this town remained flooded on the second day Wednesday.
Portions of Barangay Daungan and the whole area of Barangay Almacen were still under knee- to waist-deep floodwaters. Residents either wade through the flood or ride bancas in going in and out of Almacen.
Engineer Erlindo Flores Jr. said the continuous dredging of the mouth of the Almacen River which has been filled with lahar and the construction of a cut-off channel will control flooding but not totally eliminate the problem.
“Ang pinaka-main na dapat gawin ay ang mag-concentrate sa mouth ng Almacen River. Dapat continuous dredging dahil ang mouth niyan puro lahar na galing sa bundok na ibinababa ng malalakas na ulan,” the engineer said.
Flores said several projects have been undertaken in the Almacen River as part of the study of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA): “Ang kailangang pondo diyan to ease the problem, hindi to totally eliminate, nag-allot ang JICA ng P2.4 billion noong araw pa.”
Flores said millions of pesos have already been spent in the dredging of the river but he could not say as to how much because the projects were under the Department of Public Works and Highways Region 3 office.
He said that some illegal fish pens were already removed in the area.
“Kung ako ang tatanungin, talagang puspusan ang dapat gawing paglilinis diyan. Kailangan tanggalin lahat ang mga illegal na yan,” Flores said.
He said that because of the obstructions and the siltation of the mouth of the Almacen River, floodwaters could not flow directly out of Manila Bay.
The engineer said the required 150 meters by 200 meters width of the Almacen River could not be maintained because of the obstructions.
“Isa pang solusyon diyan, to control lang hindi to eliminate, ay ang magkaroon ng cut-off channel. May palaisdaan na hindi na ginagamit at pumayag ang may-ari ang bubuksan namin,” Flores said.
He said the cut-off channel has a project cost of P50 million. It will help the Almacen River in absorbing floodwater from the Pentor-Balsik River Flores and Colo River in Dinalupihan.
