MBTF slams box culvert as cause of flooding in Dagupan
INSTALLED BY DPWH AT DE VENECIA HIGHWAY
A box culvert installed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) across the Jose De Venecia Highway in 2013 practically made Dagupan into a creek, and is now being blamed as a major cause of flooding in Barangays Lasip Chico, Malued, Lucao, Tapuac, and other neighboring villages.
In her TV program Bantay Dagupan on Kabaleyan Channel 17 on Wednesday, Mayor Belen Fernandez said she had this box culvert on the side of Dagupan closed, but recently found it is still open, which is why the flood is continuing in several southern barangays, especially after a flood control dike in neighboring Calasiao was washed out two weeks ago.
Fernandez was still vice mayor of Dagupan when the De Venecia Highway was excavated purportedly by the 4th Engineering District of DPWH, for the installation of the box culvert leading to Dagupan, in a bid to ease the flooding in Barangays Banaoang and San Vicente, Calasiao. This meant water flow was redirected towards Dagupan.
She asked the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass a resolution asking the DPWH regional office and its 4th Engineering District based in Sta. Barbara to finally close the box culvert.
It was earlier learned that instead of directing the flow of water from Barangays Banaoang towards the Marusay River in Calasiao, which needed a bigger budget, the 4th Engineering District chose an easier option to excavate the De Venecia Highway and direct the water flow towards Barangay Lasip Chico.
Fernandez said the DPWH 4th Engineering District may not have coordinated with the local government of Dagupan during the term of then-Mayor Benjamin Lim before excavating the De Venecia Highway and installing the box culvert.
Fernandez said there was also a report that another dike had collapsed in Sta. Barbara, along the Sinocalan River, is also under the jurisdiction of the same district office.
Meanwhile, Fernandez said 26 barangays were inundated in Dagupan during the onslaught of Typhoon Nando, affecting about 60,000 families, most of whom have already been assisted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the city government.
Dagupan was again placed under a state of calamity due to the renewed flooding. (Leonardo Micua)
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