RESIDENTS of coastal areas in Masantol town are pushing for the rehabilitation of the Pampanga River as an alternative to a project aimed at widening a portion of the waterway.
Former vice mayor, now Coastal Emergency Response officer, Marcelo "Bajun" Lacap Jr. said that instead of pushing for the widening of the portion of Pampanga River in Macabebe and Masantol towns, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) must prioritize its dredging since the mouth of the Pampanga Bay is already wide enough but still shallow.
"The mouth of the Pampanga River is already wide even before they removed the fishpens. What they must prioritize is the continuous dredging in the portion of Macabebe and Masantol because the river became shallower and shallower because of the continuous descent of water with mud in the downstream," he said.
Because of the width of Pampanga Bay, Lacap said that water surges have grown bigger and brought "unusual" flooding in the town which is slowly destroying the coastal communities, particularly those at the southernmost part of Macabebe and Masantol.
Lacap suggested that widening must be implemented at the body of the Pampanga River, particularly in the portions of Candaba, Arayat, San Luis, Apalit and San Simon where it usually overflows due to its narrowness.
"I suggest they look into the widening of the Pampanga River in the portion of Candaba, Macabebe and Arayat and in San Luis, San Simon and Apalit, instead of focusing in the area of Masantol," Lacap said.
"Whatever widening activity they are doing at the Pampanga River portion of Masantol will be nonsense if its body is still narrow. It will only overflow and will cause flooding in the said towns, which will later on descend to Masantol being the catch basin of floodwaters in Central Luzon," he added.
Lacap called on DPWH officials to conduct an on-site inspection to personally see the situation of the Pampanga River and the communities that were affected by activities they are conducting before they implement their projects.
"This is a proposal from the people that they [DPWH] see the situation of Pampanga River on a daily basis. I hope they will hear us, and also conduct an on-site and aerial inspection if they will, so that their projects will be accurate to the situation and needs of the area," he said.
