CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Public Works and Highways Central Luzon (DPWH-3) has vowed to fast-track the repair and rehabilitation of vital infrastructures in the region that were damaged by floods spawned by southwest monsoon rains and enhanced by Tropical Storms Henry, Inday, and Josie in the past weeks.
DPWH-3 Regional Director Roseller Tolentino said Friday he ordered the region’s district engineering offices to “take advantage of the good weather condition for the repair works of the damaged infrastructures.”
Based on a recent report of DPWH Regional Maintenance Engineer Irma Talens, which was submitted to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), some PHP1.9 billion is needed for the restoration works, mostly for slope protection and river control structures in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Zambales.
In Bataan alone, 11 river controls under Bataan’s 2nd District Engineering Office have been identified for massive repairs.
These are: the Abucay River Control; Gabon and Laon sections; Calaguiman- West Calaguiman section; Sapa section; Orani River Control-Bayan section; Hermosa River Control-San Pedro section; Colo River Control-Naparing; San Benito; Magsaysay; and Maguindong sections; and the Pentor-Balsik River Control (Torres section).
The scoured road shoulders and asphalt pavements along Roman Expressway; Jose Abad Santos Ave.; Junction Layac, Balanga-Mariveles Port Road; and the JJ Linao Road (Morong section) are also included in the list.
Tolentino said Bataan’s 1st District Engineer Erlindo Flores cited the immediate restoration of the damaged and scoured concrete revetments and eroded riverbanks in the villages of Paniquian; Bulok; Cabcaben; and Tenejero, all in Mariveles.
In Bulacan, the unregulated passage of overloaded trucks that caused road pavements to collapse was aggravated by the continuous and weeklong heavy downpour.
Tolentino said Bulacan’s 1st District Engineer Ruel Angeles identified the most affected sections as the Manila North Road(MNR)- Bocaue to Calumpit; Daang Maharlika Road- Guiguinto to Baliwag; Plaridel-Pulilan Diversion Road (Plaridel and Pulilan); Baliuag Candaba Road, Baliuag; and Pulilan-Calumpit Road (Pulilan and Calumpit).
He added that Bulacan’s 2nd District Engineer Ramiro M. Cruz, on the other hand, reported as crucial, the construction of slope protection along eastern Bulacan Road (barangays Banaban and Akle) in Remedios Trinidad; and the repair of slope protection along Sibul-Biak na Bato Road at Pangayuman Bridge and the slope protection in Sibul Bridge along the Sibul Road.
In Pampanga, those listed for immediate repair are the slope protections of the Sapang Balen Creek in Pulung Bulu, both left and right sides located in the City of San Fernando; and the Pampanga River Bank in San Pedro, Masantol; San Simon-Calibutbut Maliwalu Creek in Bacolor; and the Pampanga River Bank in Apalit.
Tolentino said Pampanga’s 3rd District Engineering Office identified the Abacan River in Pulung Maragul, Angeles City; Quitangil Bridge in Barangay San Nicolas and Barangay San Miguel, Magalang; and the Sapang Balen Creek in Mabalacat City to be included in the list of major concerns.
In Nueva Ecija, the prioritized areas for rehabilitation works include the Daang Maharlika Road in Capintalan, Carranglan; the Cadaclan Bridge 2; Pantabangan-Canili-Basal-Baler Road; Cadaclan and East Marikit sections.
Other damaged infrastructures that need repair are the flood control structures along the Talavera River in Aliaga; flood control dike along Banco River, Rizal; the Baliwag river control in Lupao; and the Talavera river control in San Jose City.
In Tarlac, Tolentino said District Engineer Erelina B. Santos, in her report, named the Moriones River Control (right dike) in Barangay Balanti, Tarlac City as needing immediate restoration.
In Zambales, he said infrastructures that need immediate restoration works include the Mabayuan Revetment; Sta. Rita River Upstream Revetment; and Kalaklan River in Olongapo City; Pamatawan River downstream and upstream revetments; and the Lanipan Bridge, Alusiis box culvert and Balaybay resettlement road, all in Castillejos town. (Zorayda Tecson/PNA)
