The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has committed to complete an unfinished pumping station in Macabebe town as flooding continues to affect several towns in the province.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon made the commitment during the House Committee on Appropriationsí budget hearing on Wednesday afternoon after Pampanga 4th District Representative Anna York Bondoc raised concerns over severe flooding in her district.
Bondoc said six towns in the district remained flooded, with water reaching waist-deep in parts of Macabebe and Masantol.
The lawmaker asked Dizon about the pumping stations being planned in the two coastal towns.
Dizon acknowledged the difficulty of managing floods in coastal communities, which receive water from Manila Bay and other river systems.
ìTalagang pong very difficult po talaga ang situation ng coastal towns ng hindi lang po sa Pampanga, Macabebe, Masantol, kundi pati sa Bulacan,î Dizon said.
As an immediate response, the DPWH deployed mobile pumps to help remove floodwaters from populated areas and discharge them into waterways.
ìAng pumping stations po kasi ang importante lang po is, makapag-deploy po kami immediately ng mga pumps, para lang po mag-pump out ng tubig sa mga populated areas, palabas po sa mga waterways,î Dizon said.
He added that three mobile pumps have been sent to Bondocís district.
Dizon also disclosed that a pumping station in Macabebe remained unfinished because it did not receive funding.
ìMay pumping station po doon na hindi po natapos,î he said.
Dizon assured Bondoc that the agency will seek funding to complete the facility, which he said is critical to address flooding in Macabebe.
ìWe will find the way po, to fund it as well. Since, continuing po ito and critical po ang pumping stations talaga natin sa Macabebe,î Dizon said.
