CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- The mayors in towns adjacent to Pampanga River have recently formed “Save 4th district, Save Arayat-Apalit Set-back Levee Movement.”to protect the residents from further devastation due natural calamity such as typhoon.
This is now the rallying call of all the mayors in 4th district and one town in 3rd district as they have been confronted with massive flooding due to the weakening of structural foundation of the said levee. Its defects has previously endangered thousands of Kapampangan.
It was learned that if the Arayat-Apalit Set-back Levee will not be given due attention by authorities, it may affects not only of those in the 4th district but also the 3/4 of populace of the province. Meaning, almost the entire province will be paralyzed as water in the Pampanga River will be diverted to major towns which not usually experiencing floodwaters.
It can be noted that almost 17,000 families from Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon and Apalit living in between Arndo dike and Arayat-Apalit Setbakc levee are put in danger every time strong typhoon and severe flooding occur.
Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo disclosed that the movement is composed of him, Mayors Luis Chito Espino (Arayat), Asiong Macapagal (San Luis) Leonora Wong (San Simon), Oscar Tetangco Jr. (Apalit), Lito Naguit (Santo Tomas) Arturo Naguit (MInalin), Peter Flores (Masantol) and Anneth Flores Balgan (Macabebe).
Due to climate change, natural and man-made calamities, the flooding caused by typhoons Pedring and Quiel is the worst that ever happened in the last four decades affecting 99,095 families equivalent to 458,045 persons in the whole province.
The mayors said that if not given the right engineering solution and intervention, the eventual destruction of the setback levee is an accident in waiting and they suggested, this should be prevented before it would happen.
The Pampanga mayors said the 50-kilometer stretch of the Arayat-Apalit Setback Levee which serves as second line of defense against the water rampage in Pampanga River is deteriorating as its foundation may no longer withstand the strong current and may put the residents along huge earth dike in danger.
The movement, according to Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo and concurrent president of the Pampanga Mayors League was formed to strengthen the foundation and general structure of the setback levee and save it from its eventual destruction.
It can be noted that several water seepages have been noticed in the setback levee particularly in the towns of San Simon, Apalit, San Luis and in Candaba that caused severe flooding in the nearby villages located in the other side of the levee.
Pelayo said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has all the reasons to put on hold the bided asphalting project and other intended Pampanga river project which cost a total amount of more than P317-million pesos. “It needs careful reassessment and study,” he said.
“The asphalting of the setback levee for now is like painting a house which is on the verge of collapse, the mayors explained.
The mayors lamented that for several times implemented projects and proposed projects at the setback levee of the DPWH and the congressional representative were not properly consulted and coordinated with barangay and municipal chief executives.