Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando has called for urgent support from the House of Representative to escalate to the national government the perennial flooding problem in the province.
His petition was made during a meeting with the technical working group of the Committee of Public Works and Highways on Monday, August 1, at the Speaker Villar Hall, South Wing Annex House of Representatives.
Governor Daniel R. Fernando talks to affected residents in a flooded area of Barangay Malis, Guiguinto, Bulacan on Thursday, August 3, 2023. (Freddie C. Velez/MANILA BULLETIN)
The meeting was held to ratify the House Bills that will further support the appeal of the Provincial Government of Bulacan to have a permanent solution to the decade-long problem of flooding, which includes House Bill No. 492 by Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo; House Bill No. 3148 by Rep. Ambrosio “Boy” C. Cruz, Jr.; House Bill No. 6559 authored by Rep. Florida "Rida" P. Robes; and House Resolution No. 614 by Representatives Danny A. Domingo, Augustina Dominique C. Pancho, and Lorna C. Silverio.
To address these concerns, Fernando also mandated the creation of a technical working group through the Provincial Development Council that will develop the master plan for flood control projects for the province.
In addition, the Provincial Engineer’s Office, on the orders of Fernando, initiated to draft the flood control plan for Bulacan, and currently, has completed the plans for the City of Malolos and Municipalities of Calumpit and Hagonoy.
The DPWH has the Sustainable Flood Management Plan for Metro Manila and Surrounding Areas which only includes the City of Meycauayan.
Due to flooding in the province, Fernando pledged to seek a comprehensive solution to avert flooding and end further damages in Bulacan.
“Hindi po tayo titigil hanggang hindi natitiyak ang mga maliwanag at konkretong hakbang upang mabilisan at permanenteng masolusyunan ang problemang ito. Gusto kong makatiyak na ang lalawigan ng Bulacan sa ating panahon ay makalaya na sa suliraning ito at ang ating mga gawain ay nakatutugon sa mahigpit na pamantayan ng kaligtasan,” (We won't stop until we have ascertained the necessary steps and find a permanent solution to this problem. I want to make sure that the province of Bulacan, during my tenure, will be freed from this perennial problem and we have started undertaking steps to address this based on safety standards)," the governor said.
Fernando is also overseeing the rehabilitation of Bustos Dam to make sure that its rubber gates are being repaired by the contractors.
Through an inter-agency cooperation, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), have started dredging operations to augment flood control mitigations in the province.