By: Loejan S. Anudon
08-07-2010
Still gripped by memories of the tremendous damage caused by the typhoons of 2009 particularly Pepeng, Congresswoman Kimi Cojuangco concentrated a great part of her of her initial tour visiting towns in her district that are most prone to flooding and typhoon related calamities. The congresswoman met with the mayors of Alcala, Bautista and Sison and concerned engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to gather pertinent data and solutions on how to ease and prevent any impending crisis that are usually bought about by typhoons expected to race through Pangasinan soil every season.
Rep. Kimi discussing plans with Alcala Mayor Emmanuel Collado and Bautista Mayor Amado Espino III atop the Agno Floodway in Alcala. (L-R) Mayor Amado Espino III, Mayor Emmanuel Collado, and Rep. Cojuangco
After Sison, the congresswoman rushed to Villasis where the Agno Flood
Control Director, Engr. Fidel Ginez, was already waiting inside the office of Mayor Ditas Abrenica. During their brief meeting, some measures were discussed but everything remained at midpoint and largely unresolved until the plans are formally decided on and implemented. The meeting with Engr. Ginez was unfortunately had to be cut short because of the congresswoman’s tight schedule. Mayor Manuel Collado of Alcala and Mayor Amado Espino, Jr. of Bautista were already waiting for the solon’s ocular inspection of the Agno floodway in Alcala.
The extent of the Alcala-Bautista flood dilemma is too immense for the two towns to contain. It entails a colossal flooding in major parts of Alcala and Bautista if the diversion channel is not widened to accommodate at least fifty percent of the total volume of water coming from the Agno River, which is also the spillway of the San Roque Dam. According to Mayor Collado, the diversion channel is constricted to allow only twenty five percent of the water and the seventy five percent of it is directed to the town of Bautista. “There is a huge tendency of backflow that could flood major parts of Alcala if the diversion channel is not widened to accommodate at least fifty percent of the flow. This gives equal spill share of Alcala and Bautista”, Mayor Collado added. Mayor Espino also protested that the current seventy five percent spill share to Bautista is excessively unjust because it can generate massive flooding in his town during typhoon seasons. The uneven distribution can also generate a whirlpool when it meets the floodwater from Tarlac - spawning a dreadful scenario to his constituents. Representative Kimi Cojuangco tasked herself to lobby the case in the national level so an appointment with the DPWH Secretary, Mr. Rogelio Sisngson, is currently worked on by the Representative’s Chief of Staff, Atty. Bobby Layug. The meeting also includes the presence of Mayor Mina Joy Pangasinan and Art Chan.
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Congresswoman Kimi (in white) conferring with mayors and engineers atop the Bued River dike. (L-R) Engr. Jun Lacsinto, Pozorrubio Mayor Art Chan, Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco, Engr. Emmanuel Diaz, Sison Mayor Mina Joy C. Pangasinan
The day’s activity started with a meeting with the mayors of Sison and Pozorrubio, Mina Joy Pangasinan and Art Chan, respectively, on top of the unstable Bued River dike that stretches from barangay Agat to Amagbagan in Sison. Mayor Chan was called to the scene because Pozorrubio is likely to take more of the damage if the dike breaks. The engineers present claim that 19 Million Pesos was already spent rehabilitating the dike. To which the frustrated congresswoman said that the ‘rehabilitation’ they referred to were merely a “band-aid” remedy, temporary solutions that do not really solve the overall problem and could cost more in the long run. Several solutions to the quandary were discussed and considered but ultimately, the greatest difficulty comes down to funding the project; a responsibility that falls squarely on the congresswoman’s ability to represent the interests of her district.
agno Floodway in Alcala, also referred to as “Diversion Channel”, that according to Mayor Collado of Alcala can lead to major flooding in his town if not widened.
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