DPWH fields men to clean drainage
TOO late but it is better than never.
This was the general sentiment over a recent order of Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Director Fidel Ginez to his men in the field to undertake an all-out cleaning of drainage canals in preparation for the rainy season which has already commenced.
In a talk to newsmen in Dagupan City, Ginez said his order was for the engineering districts in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte to remove silt and debris that have rendered many drainage canals clogged and practically non-functional.
Ginez conducted a field inspection in Pangasinan on Thursday to make sure that his instruction is being carried out.
Ginez observed that even drainage canals along highways have been covered by silt, causing flooding, especially during prolonged rainfall.
The DPWH official cited Mac Arthur Highway á along the Urdaneta City stretch, which is a major passage and intersection leading up to the different parts of Pangasinan and other parts of northern Luzon.
He also noted that rivers and creeks are now too narrow and had severely reduced their water carrying capacity, citing the Macalong River, also in Urdaneta City, as an example.
At the same time, Ginez instructed all his personnel in the field to put themselves and their equipment at the disposal of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Councils in their areas whenever calamity strikes.
He also called on the DPWH district offices to procure chainsaws for clearing highways from fallen trees during typhoons.
DREDGING IN DAGUPAN
Ginez also announced the intensive dredging of the mouth of the Pantal River in Dagupan, using a heavy-duty dredging machine pulled out from the DPWH office in Pampanga.
Describing the superiority of the DPWH dredging machine over others being used locally, Ginez said this machine can be used with maximum efficiency even when there is already flooding.
He said the P6 million amount made available for dredging by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. from his Community Development Assistance Fund since last year is now being used to buy bunker fuel for the dredging machine.—LM
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