THE flood-prone Jovellanos Street in Dagupan City, located at the back of the city plaza and on the side of the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral, will soon be elevated and have a bigger drainage system after funding for the project was approved by the city council.

Supplemental Budget No. 2 for 2023, which includes the road project, was finally passed on November 5 by the Sangguniang Panlungsod under the new majority, which took control of the chamber following the 60-day preventive suspension of three of the seven opposition councilors by the Office of the President.

Mayor Belen Fernandez said the elevation of Jovellanos Street above the flood level — with a wider drainage system connected to the main drainage system along Burgos Street that empties into the Calmay River through Barangay Poblacion Oeste — has long been sought by Dagupan residents and churchgoers.

She ordered City Engineer Josephine Corpuz to immediately prepare the program of work on Jovellanos Street so that construction can be started immediately.

Just about 100 meters long, Jovellanos Street is usually submerged in flood waters after prolonged heavy rains and high tide, causes big inconvenience to parishioners walking towards the cathedral from Zamora Street.

Fernandez said during her previous term as mayor, she had already included the upgrade of Jovellanos Street and its conversion into a cobbled street in the 2019 annual budget, but when she lost the election, the Lim administration did not pursue the project.

When she returned to office after winning the 2022 election, she again included the funding for the street upgrade in Supplemental Budget. No. 1 for 2022, but the seven opposition councilors blocked it.

When Mayor Fernandez convened the City Development Council, she recommended the passage of Supplemental Budget No. 2 for 2023, that included the budget for the Jovellanos St. but the seven opposition councilors blocked it again. (Leonardo Micua)

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