libre zona: Anyare, BBM?

“WE ARE very optimistic that this will redound to improving people’s lives by enhancing the disaster resilience of all our communities.”

Thus, spoke President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. buoying up the hopes for drier times of the people in the low-lying towns of Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin, and Sto. Tomas in Pampanga as he led the inauguration of the P7.57-billion flood mitigation project on Aug. 7, 2024.

Located in Masantol, the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project – Stage I (IDRR-CCA 1) was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways and funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea-Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

Aimed to increase and improve the capacity of the Third River, Eastern Branch River, Caduang Tete River, and Sapang Maragul River – all tributaries of the Pampanga River, the project covers excavation, dredging, and widening of river channels, as well as the construction of embankments to enhance flood control.

In addition, the project involves the construction of three new bridges, five footbridges, eight sluice gate structures, and 164 fish pond gates.

Unveiling the IDRR-CCA 1 (L-R) Masantol Mayor Ton-ton Bustos, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, PBBM, Republic of Korea Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa, Pampanga 4^th District Rep. Anna York Bondoc, and Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda. PCO photo

“Once it is fully completed, the IDRR-CCA will reduce the flood level and flood duration from 66 days to 17 days in the municipalities of Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin, and Sto. Tomas,” enthused Marcos Jr., as he assured the Masantol residents in attendance that the DPWH “will expeditiously complete the ongoing flood control projects here in Region 3.”

Then-DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan chipped in: “Today is a significant milestone in our efforts to reduce the impacts of natural disasters.”

Not to be outdone, Pampanga 4^th District Rep. Anna York Bondoc: “We are deeply honored by your presence today at the inauguration of the first-ever climate change loan of the Philippines.”

That was on Aug. 7, 2024.

Two years and five days after – Aug. 12, 2026 – the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pampanga officially declared the whole province under a state of calamity amid prolonged and torrential rainfall that caused extensive flooding in several high-risk municipalities and barangays, displaced thousands of residents, disrupted livelihoods, and damaged agricultural areas and community infrastructure.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Situational Report, as of 12 noon, Aug. 12: a total of 269,775 families, or 860,076 individuals, have been affected; 297 flooded barangays across 17 local government units; 7,731 individuals displaced and evacuated from affected communities.

Damage to the agriculture sector exceeded P505 million, affecting approximately 3,787 farmers and fisherfolk.

Food packs provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development were distributed to over 25,000 families in the 4^th District alone – Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin, and Sto. Tomas, foremost.

The rains continued, even harder in places, for days. By Aug. 20, the PDRRMO reported P748.8 million in agricultural and fisheries damage, P3.1 million in livestock damage, and P11.9 million in egg-drop losses. A total of 7,754 farmers and fisherfolk affected.

On Aug. 21, flooding remained in 19 towns and cities, affecting 307,879 families or 982,100 individuals. Of Pampanga’s 505 barangays, 276 were under water.

The breadth and depth of flooding in Pampanga – the worst in decades, if not ever, swear old-timers – dashed the hopes Marcos Jr. so elevated among the Kapampangans at the inauguration of that P7.57-billion IDRR-CCA 1 flood control in Masantol on Aug. 7, 2024. It has veritably turned into a white elephant, costly at that, seemingly as worthless as the phantom flood control projects still unresolved to this day.

Nanay’s call

“Ang palagay ko, stop muna yung mga flood control. Kasi naalala ko, 10 years… Hindi naman kinukumpleto yung gawa. So, walang solusyon eh. Ganun pa rin.”

Backdropped by the submerged Sunken Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Bacolor town, Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda could not have given her take of the current deluge a greater impact to the viewers of the Bilyonaryo News Channel newscast, Agenda.

Even as she pushed for the immediate dredging of the Pampanga River and its tributaries as a short-term solution, the governor called on the DPWH for a comprehensive review of long-standing flood control strategies, focusing on the effectiveness of traditional dikes and protective structures used over the years.