Parts of Pampanga megadike crumbling

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Scientists once described the P1.4-billion anti-lahar megadike here as ampaw, or porous puffed rice. Five years since then, they have been proven prophetic.

At least 7,967 residents of Porac and Bacolor are again exposed to lahar danger from the Pasig-Potrero River, no thanks to the megadike that was built to protect them.


Guanlao took photos of the damaged sections, showing that only the concrete covering of the dike’s inner side remained of the 15-meter washout. "The concrete can collapse anytime," he warned.

Guanlao said the damage to the five megadike sections wor-sened due to erosion caused by rains last July and August. br>
The PDCC, however, found this out only recently after Gov. Lito Lapid ordered a "community vulnerability" survey of the megadike.

"Things were not that worse when I first reported the damage to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over a month ago, but nothing was apparently done about it," Guanlao said.


"The exposed portions now show that only lahar materials were used for the dike filling," Guanlao noted.

Guanlao added that while the dike’s inner side was layered with concrete, the other side remained unprotected and might be eroded.

Guanlao said the next lahar flows at the Pasig-Potrero could break through the damaged sections and hit 3,599 households in Calibutbut in Bacolor, 3,177 in Calzadang Bayu and 1,191 in Sinura, both in Porac.

He said the endangered areas include a special economic zone in Calibutbut where several foreign investors are located, and sections of northern San Fernando.

Guanlao said the PDCC is set to meet with the affected residents, and to upgrade the lahar warning system.

"I have formally notified the DPWH about the damaged portions," Guanlao said, adding that Lapid has given the DPWH two weeks to repair them.

"If the DPWH fails to act, the PDCC will have to mobilize its limited resources to protect the people," he said.

The PDCC chief also reported that lahar flows have carved a new channel nearer Angeles City on the upper Pasig-Potrero.

Our recent inspection revealed that the small (lahar) flows last July and August had eroded one kilometer of the eastern banks on the side of Angeles," he said.

Guanlao said the new lahar channel at Pasig-Potrero is now closer to the damaged sections of the megadike.

Meanwhile, Guanlao said he has received reports that uncon-creted sections of the megadike’s western side have also collapsed in Sta. Rita town. He and other PDCC officials rushed to inspect the area yesterday afternoon.

Guanlao also questioned the DPWH’s ongoing dredging of river systems in nine Pampanga towns, at a cost of P80.44 million.

"I’m not an engineer, but it doesn’t make sense to dredge these waterways while doing nothing about the silted Pasac River which is the main outlet of these rivers to the Manila Bay," he said.