CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – A newly built flood control structure has reduced the extent, level and duration of flooding in surrounding low-lying areas of Pampanga delta at the boundary of the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said the completed Frances Sluice Gate has helped regulate the stream of water of the Pampanga River and prevent the backflow towards communities in barangays Sulipan and San Miguel in Calumpit, Bulacan.
“This flood control structure with 12 gates is just one of the disaster resiliency infrastructure projects under the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (IDRR-CCA) Measures in the Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay funded by a loan agreement between the government of the Philippines and Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund and implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Flood Control Management Cluster to address the flooding problem especially during the rainy season,” he said.
Undersecretary for UPMO Operations Emil Sadain led Friday an ocular inspection at the project area of Calumpit, Bulacan towards the towns Macabebe and Masantol in Pampanga which have been prone to floods for a first-hand appraisal of the situation as incessant rains are experienced in Luzon.
“DPWH endeavors to find ways to mitigate flooding as protecting lives and properties is one of our top priorities,” Sadain emphasized.
The IDRR-CCA project with overall civil work progress of 54 percent also involves the construction/replacement of seven other sluice gates including the ongoing Sapang Maragul Floodgate in Masantol and the construction/replacement of Sapang Maragul and Saplad David Bridges.
“Improvement of river channel networks are also ongoing that will increase waterways capacity through excavation and dredging at the mouth of the Pampanga River, specifically at the 5.5-kilometer stretch of Third River and the 4.6-kilometer stretch of Third River Upstream, while flow and efficiency of the 11.40-kilometer Caduang Tete River and the 11.30-kilometer Sapang Maragul River will be also improved,” Sadain disclosed.
These project components of IDRR-CCA carry out the DPWH’s goal to build disaster-resilient structures in calamity-prone areas.