CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Governor Lilia “Nanay” G. Pineda has expressed disappointment over the slow-moving performance of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the implementation of flood mitigation and rehabilitation projects along the Pampanga River.
This reaction came after the DPWH reported to the governor during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) meeting yesterday attended by the different line agencies that their department failed to finish the rehabilitation and construction of flood mitigation projects such as the slope protection of Arnedo dike in the portion of barangay Mandasig, Candaba, among others.
The governor said the DPWH should learn their lesson and must consult and coordinate with the barangay and municipal officials before the implementation of the project for appropriate coordination.
“Para walang sisihan at di kayo nasisi ng mga local officials,” the governor told the DPWH officials led by Regional Director Antonio Molano, Jr.
With this development, the governor directed the PDRRMC to establish provincial action centers at the critical and low lying areas in the 2nd and 4th districts in the province where slope of protection of major dikes are vulnerable to eventual scouring.
Engr. Lulu Alingcastre of PDRRMC said that the action centers will serve as the direct-reporting station of whatever the status of the area. “It will issue the warnings to the residents coming from the main office,” she said.
She said that action centers will fast track the issuance of flood warning to the people. “The residents and barangay officials can prepare or act immediately based on the instruction of the center”, she added.
The action centers will be manned by representatives from the barangay, municipality and PDRRMC. “They will act as first responders during calamities and emergency who will watch the area in a 24 hours basis,” Alingcastre said.
“The PDRRMC will assure that those who will man the action centers are well trained in search and rescue operations. They know what to do during emergency”, Alingcastre said.
Pineda assured the barangay captains that the provincial government is doing palliative measures to at least minimize the effects of calamities.
The governor added that the Capitol is now preparing relief goods and evacuation sites if relocation is inevitable during disaster.
“We have to work double time and anticipate the volume of water coming from the Pampanga River. We should not allow ourselves to be caught by surprise and flatfooted,” Pineda said.
The governor said local government units in the province should move one step ahead and discourage finger pointing amongst LGUs and government agencies.
She said that in this time of the year, the local officials should show active and full cooperation to help in the prevention of any untoward incidents that maybe brought by calamities.
“We are on our own now. We need to act as one in order to surpass the challenges brought about by calamities” the governor added. (Jenna Lumbang, PIO Pampanga)
