AFTER four months of inactivity, the dredging of the shallow Calmay River here has resumed after the three dredging machines deployed in Dagupan by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received their P3 million fuel allocation.

In an interview, Mayor Belen Fernandez expressed confidence that dredging will continue for a longer period now without interruption after the DPWH central office released the requested allocation for fuel.

“I understand why there was a little delay in the release of their fuel allocation since it had to undergo a bidding process which took for sometime,” said the mayor.

She said bidding is now a mandatory policy in government.

The operation of the dredging machines grounded to a halt for five months since July after the one-month fuel allocation provided by the city government was fully exhausted.

Under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by Fernandez with the DPWH Flood Control agency, the city government would shoulder the cost of fuel for a month after which the DPWH will shoulder the rest till the work is completed.

The silt being recovered from the dredging activity is being deposited on a vacant lot in Barangay Pantal where the city government intends to construct its new city hall.

Fernandez said with the help of Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, the DPWH assigned the three dredging machines to help mitigate the constant flooding in the city.

At the same time, the mayor disclosed that DPWH, with the help of Rep. Gina de Venecia, agreed to provide more funds for the uncompleted Gabion-type seawall projects in Barangays Pantal and Pogo Chico to minimize flooding in Dagupan. (Leonardo Micua)

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