Despite dredging, 110 Pampanga b’gays flooded

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — At least 110 low-lying barangays in this city and nine of Pampanga’s 21 municipalities have remained flooded due to continuous heavy rains spawned by a so-called "monsoon trough" north of Luzon.

This, despite the 80 percent completion of river-dredging projects, costing some P2.5 billion, which the Department of Public Works and Highways has been undertaking in the province.

In Tarlac, a teenager was reported missing, believed swept away by strong currents of the Camiling River while on his way home from school, disaster control authorities said yesterday.

This, as the continuous heavy downpour has swelled rivers across Tarlac to critical levels.

Engineer Armando Austria, executive officer of the Pampanga disaster coordinating council, said floodwaters in the affected villages here and in the towns of Macabebe, Masantol, Candaba, Sto. Tomas, Mexico, Sta. Ana, San Simon, Guagua and Sasmuan have reached 10 inches to three feet deep.

All roads and bridges in the province, however, are passable to all types of vehicles, except the Mancantia Road and the Pandacaqui Bridge, Austria said.

According to the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, floods also affected low-lying barangays in Malolos City and the towns of Hagonoy, Paombong, Calumpit, Pulilan, Obando, Meycauayan, Marilao, Plaridel and Bocaue, all in Bulacan; and Cabanatuan City and Carranglan, Muñoz, Sta. Rosa and Guimba towns in Nueva Ecija.

Other villages were also inundated in Balanga City and Dinalupihan, Pilar and Hermosa towns, all in Bataan; Olongapo City and Subic, San Marcelino and San Narciso towns in Zambales.

Meanwhile, retired Brig. Gen. Virgilio Florendo, executive officer of Tarlac’s disaster coordinating council, identified the missing teener as 17-year-old Andy Garcia, a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Camiling town.

Bartolome Fajardo, head of the provincial agriculture office, reported that floodwaters have destroyed some P7.34 million worth of palay as the continuous heavy rains have inundated 15,045 hectares of farmlands.

Florendo said sandbags were being placed along the northwestern bank of the Tarlac River, which has swollen to above-normal level, to protect the low-lying barangays of Sinait and Sta. Maria in Tarlac City, and San Jose in neighboring Gerona town. — With Benjie Villa