Bulacan gov fears towns will remain flooded until Christmas

Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado has appealed to the national government to start the dredging of Labangan Channel as he expressed fears that certain towns in the province may remain flooded until Christmas because of the excess water released by Angat Dam last week.

As of Sunday, Alvarado said several barangays in the towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy were still flooded as the opening of dam gates over the weekend worsened the flooding brought by Typhoon Nona.

“Nangangamba kami na baka hanggang Pasko underwater ang mga bayan namin,” he said in a television interview Monday.

To solve the perennial flooding problem affecting several towns in Bulacan, Alvarado said he has talked with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson about commencing the dredging of Labangan Channel.

He said the channel has fallen into a state of neglect since initial dredging was finished in 1978, resulting in frequent flooding of nearby towns.

The resources for dredging, he said, have all been transferred to the areas surrounding Mount Pinatubo following its eruption in 1991.

“We are asking the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) to dredge the Labangan Channel. Karamihan ng debris from Manila Bay napapadpad dito, especially sa sandbar,” Alvarado said.

He said Labangan Channel needs to be dredged yearly since debris tend to accumulate every time the southwest monsoon affects Luzon.

“Pagdating ng habagat, yung mga lupa sa Manila Bay napapadpad dito sa dalampasigan kaya nagko-cause ng sandbar. Dapat yearly dine-dredge ito para continuously name-maintain ang depth ng Labangan Channel,” he said.

Without dredging, the governor said several towns in Bulacan may continue to experience flooding even during the dry season due to the outflow from Bayabas River into Bustos Dam.

“The Bayabas River is always aggravating the level of water in Bustos dam. During the rainy season, the water there will be preserved but during the rainy season when Ipo and Angat dams are not releasing water, that’s the time the Bayabas river will release water,” he said. — Xianne Arcangel/RSJ, GMA News