By Freddie Velez
HAGONOY, Bulacan -- Intense rainfall aggravated by high tide and nonstop heavy rains since Monday caused the floods in nine villages in this province.
VIRTUAL WATER WORLD -- At least 7 barangays Hagonoy including the villages of Sta Elena and Sto Nino which shown in the photo and 2 in Paombong, Bulacan were submerged under 2 to 3 feet of rising flood waters which is being aggravated by the perennial high tide and non-stop heavy rains since Monday. (Freddie Velez / MANILA BULLETIN)
In an early round conducted by this writer, submerged under 1 to 3 feet of rising floodwaters were the San Pablo, Sta Elena, Sagrada, San Nicolas, San Sebastian, Sto. Niño and San Pedro villages in Hagonoy. In Pambong town flooded were Barangays Sto. Niño and San Isidro IINPA Encampment Discovered; Two Army Personnel Wounded in Encounters
A Communist New People's Army Terrorist (CNT) encampment was seized by Army troops in Abra on Saturday.
Accordong to the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Northern Luzon Command (AFP-NoLCom), an Army unit under Joint Task Force "KAUGNAY", discovered an abandoned temporary NPA encampment in the mountainous area of Brgy. Danac, West Boliney, Abra at 8 a.m.
The said terrorists' facility can accommodate more or less 18 NPAs, which is estimated to be about 100 square meters area.
Found at the said encampment were remains of food stuffs, a roll of wire, bamboo beds and bamboo chairs locates on both on its entry and exit points.
As this developed, NoLCom said clashes against Communist Terrorist NPA Groups (CNTGs) erupted twice in separate locations also on Saturday.
Elements of the 81st Infantry Battalion (81IB), under the Joint Task Force (JTF) "KAUGNAY", encountered a group of about fourteen NPA terrorists from the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) AMPIS led by alias Digbay at 8:40 in the morning in Sitio Dandanac, Brgy. Tamboan, Besao, Mountain Province.
An Army personnel was reportedly hurt after he was hit on his right arm and back near the pelvic area during the incident, while there were undetermined number of casualties on the NPA side. Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) was immediately conducted
At about 3:10 p.m. the same day, another encounter ensued between the said Army unit against 10 NPA's with unknown leader of KLG NORTH ABRA, in the vicinity of Brgy. Ud-udiao, Sallapadan, Abra.
Firefight lasted until 3:30 p.m. resulting to the wounding of another Army trooper who was hit in his right leg. Efforts to evacuate the WIA was also carried out immediately.
NoLCom said through Focus Military Operations (FMO) and the support of the community, troops will be relentless in pursuing the Communist NPA Terrorists to prevent the latter from threatening the people and conducting hostile activities, which will eventually contribute in bringing peace, stability and development in the area. (Francis T. Wakefield).
The Bulacan flood got different reactions from the social media. including well-known personalities in the country.
Related to this, Susan Ople here said they need technical guidance, and requested Jun S. Aguilar, executive vice president of Ron Daniel Construction Corporation, to help them put together a proper study/recommendations regarding the perennial floodwaters in Hagonoy.
"Noon, tuwing may bagyo bumabaha. Ngayon, high tide lang, bumabaha na sa bayan ng Hagonoy. Hanggang kailan magdudusa ang aming bayan? Pakiusap po sa mga kinauukulan, pakihanap ng solusyon ang pagbaha ng tubig hindi lamang sa Hagonoy kung hindi sa kabuuan ng dakilang lalawigan ng Bulakan, " Ople in her reactions in Facebook.
Aguilar responded that a new topographical survey must be conducted in Hagonoy and suburbs. Also, a serious geo-technical study which includes hydrodynamic analysis, urban planning etc. Multiple factors could be affecting the area which needs massive work and funding.
"Siguro nga totoo yun effect ng climate change. Tumataas na ang water level malapit sa coastline," Freddie Aguilar commented on Facebook, adding that "meron na hong tech para maaayos at mawala na ang baha, kaso ang ginagawa nila ay paraan lang. Kung baga, maintenance lang imbes na solusyunan. "Inilapit na ho yan sa DPWH, nagtataka rin ho kami kung bakit ayaw nila gawin samantalang yun hong pagbaha sa Florida sa Amerika ay nasolusyunan na ng tech na yan," comments of Aguilar.
"Mayroon ding ibang solusyon ang pagbaha na 'to. Una..kailangan hukayin na ang kailugan para di umapaw ang tubig sa kabahayan at kalsada, sobrang mababaw na kasi ang kailugan ng Bulacan. At isa pa, kung talagang gusto ng karamihan na masolusyunan ito, wala na sanang magtatapon ng basura sa mga kailugan ng buong lalawigan," a group of concerned citizens here said.
It was recalled that three years ago, to address the perennial flooding dilemma in the coastal towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to bring back the original water-carrying capacity of the Labangan flood control channel of 7 meters.
The governor said regular dredging of major rivers in other parts of Central Luzon should be also revived because most of the waterways where floodwaters from the eastern part of Luzon flows through are now heavily silted.
“If the Labangan Channel will be restored to its original water-holding capacity, it will complement the flood-control capability of the Pampanga Delta project. It is also high time to dredge not only the Labangan channel but other major rivers as well so that back floods will flow to this flood control channels and thus prevent the rivers from overflowing toward low-lying villages in Calumpit and Hagonoy,” this was explained by Alvarado three years ago.