DREDGING of rivers continues daily in Dagupan but city officials believe this does little to mitigate floods when heavy rains fall again.

The dredging is seen to at least help in hastening the return to the sea of water that spilled inland during every tidal rise, according to City Administrator Alvin Fernandez.

Fernandez last week invited newsmen to Barangay Salapingao where the dredging machine is currently at work. The material it recovers is being used to fill and elevate the premises of the Salapingao Elementary School.

Prior to Salapingao, the machine was used in Tocok, Carael.

Fernandez said the dredging machine, bought by the past administration and was left idle for a long period, is now being put to its optimum use.

The city is also set to buy a floating backhoe to be used in the shallow rivers to complement the work of the dredging machine.

These equipment put together will accelerate the dredging work in the city’s rivers and minimize prolonged flooding in the city’s residential and commercial areas, he said.

The daily rise of tide in the city continues to exact serious damage to properties and business operations of businessmen in the city.

Several establishments in Dagupan’s downtown area already resort to generator sets daily to flush out tidal waters from the adjacent Pantal River.

To cope with the daily rise of tide, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez has called on affected business establishments to raise their ground floor.

“We continue to dredge our rivers although we know that flood cannot be prevented anymore because of global warming that brought about climate change,” City Administrator Fernandez said during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas Forum.

“It is very, very important to understand that dredging will not stop the flooding because the flood in Dagupan is now caused by the rising flood level due to daily high tide,” Fernandez stressed, as he pointed out anew that Dagupan is one meter below sea level.

At present, he said, the lowest level of high tide in Dagupan today was the actual highest level of high tide in the city some years ago. He attributed this to global warming.—LM

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