Rep. De Venecia to help solve city’s flooding problem
BALON DAGUPAN NEWS
FOURTH District Rep. Christopher “Toff” De Venecia assured Mayor Belen T. Fernandez his assistance in solving the city’s perennial flooding problem in their meeting on August 19 in the aftermath of “habagat” last week.
The mayor invited De Venecia to an ocular inspection at the De Venecia highway on Friday (August 19) to assess the effect of the floodwater coming from Banaoang, Calasiao flowing to the other side of the highway via a culvert constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which directly affected the barangays of Lasip Chico, Lasip Grande, Malued, Lucao and Tapuac with flood as high 4 feet.
Rep. Christopher “Toff” de Venecia (2nd from left) and Mayor Belen T. Fernandez (center) along with District Engineer Rodolfo Dion (2nd from right) conduct ocular inspection along the Banaoang River and De Venecia Highway. Also in photo are Engineer Josephine M. Corpuz (left) and Engineer Roland Suni (right) of the City Assessor and City Planning and Development Office. (CIO photo by Joseph C. Bacani)
Mayor Fernandez recently called on Governor Amado I. Espino III to bring the same concern to his attention including the digging by DPWH of a new river channel in Barangay Banaoang that redirected the flow of water from the old river system to the new one which is much shorter.
The two projects of the DPWH and the heavy siltation of the Pantal River in Dagupan City partly cause the flooding in the five mentioned barangays.
The governor readily sent Engineers Rodolfo C. Dion of the 2nd Pangasinan Engineering District, and Marieta Mendoza of the 4th Pangasinan Engineering District along with Provincial Engineer Tonette delos Santos and Calasiao Municipal Engineer Melanio B. De Vera for a meeting with Fernandez on August 15 in a bid to address the problem.
On August 19, Fernandez with De Venecia met anew with the engineers of DPWH and joined them in the ocular inspection.
In their meeting, the engineers explained that the new river channel was constructed purposely to shorten the travel time of the flood water coming from upstream and spare the residents of Barangay Banaoang from getting flooded, thus explains the huge culvert at the De Venecia Highway.
“Their intention was noble but the effect on us is destructive,” said Fernandez as she proposed that the banks of the new river channel be protected with a dike and that a flood gate be constructed in the huge culvert to re-direct the flood water down to the nearby Banaoang River and not directly to Barangay Lasip Chico.
De Venecia said he will work closely with Rep. Baby Arenas for the construction of a dike along the new river channel and protect the city’s rivers from siltation. He will also push for the construction of a floodgate in the huge culvert.
The city, on the other hand, has already elevated several roads, alongside new drainage systems as among its flood mitigating program, including the dredging of the city’s rivers.
“More city and barangay roads and drainage systems are due for implementation this year and next year as we prepare our budget for 2017,” said Fernandez. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)
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