RACE VS RAINY SEASON

THE determined efforts of the Dagupan City government to mitigate the impact of flooding in the city owing to its location as catch basin of central Pangasinan gets a boost with the arrival of another dredging machine to augment the continuous desilting operations of the city’s river system.

The Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) Dredge 14-A  arrived from Vigan City to operate at the mouth of Calmay River where sandbars have developed preventing easy exit of floodwaters to the Lingayen Gulf.

With a 14-inch diameter, the new cutter pump machine is also the biggest suction machine currently operating in the city and It can dredge up to a capacity of 270 cubic meters per hour or at least 1,620 cubic meters every day.

Dredge 14-A will operate at the mouth of Calmay River while Dredge Visayas I is deployed in Barangay Pugaro.

Visayas I, which can dredge up to 240 cubic meters per hour, has so far cleared over 2,500 cubic meters of silt in the area since it began its operations this May.

Meanwhile, the three other machines deployed by DPWH to the city are also working in tandem to desilt different areas in the rivers.

The Watermaster machine continues to excavate sediment from upstream while the 8-2 dredge and the amphibious excavator are also dredging other parts of the river.

In sum, there are now five dredging machines working to desilt the city’s river system.

For this, Mayor Fernandez thanked the DPWH for the continuous support to the city.

“We have been continuously reaching out to the national government because resolving the flood problem in the city has always been our priority. Now, we have five dredging machines for desilting operations. We want to thank DPWH for their support dahil hindi nila tayo pinabayaan,” said Fernandez.

DPWH Dredgemaster Jaime Cilen said Calmay River has to be dredged because of its heavy siltation that flowed from the flood water and silt from upstream areas.

“DPWH is focusing on Dagupan by giving the city five operating dredging machines that will help extract spoils and ease the flow of water. This, in turn, will help mitigate floods in the city,” Cilen said.

The amphibious excavator, which also arrived in the city earlier this year, has been excavating sediment equivalent to more than 1,000 sacks per day.

 “We are working continuously with Dagupan because of Mayor Belen Fernandez’s initiatives. Tuloy-tuloy ang support ng national government agencies dito sa Dagupan.” added DPWH Engr. Dejosis Domagas.

Fernandez said the support of Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia for the city’s maintenance dredging will contribute significantly to the flood mitigation projects in the city such as elevation of roads and upgrading of drainage canals. (CIO/VDV)

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