The Philippines: Dredging in full swing to ease flooding in Pampanga

The Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Luzon (DPWH-3) is conducting dredging operations in the heavily silted river channels in a bid to mitigate flooding in this province.

DPWH-3 Regional Director, Roseller Tolentino, said that the agency’s Regional Equipment Management Division (EMD) is doing the dredging works in three locations in the towns of San Simon and Sto. Tomas.

Tolentino added that the EMD has deployed the following equipment:

• a K9-01 vegetation dredge in Barangay Sta. Monica in San Simon;

• a K4-24 amphibious excavator in Tulaoc River, also in San Simon;

• a K3-15 multi-purpose amphibious dredge in Barangay Federosa in Sto. Tomas to clear waterways of accumulated silt and debris to ease flooding during heavy rains.

“The dredging activities in Pampanga are part of DPWH’s efforts to mitigate flooding, prompted by a recent flooding incident at the San Simon Section of the North Luzon Expressway where water from the Pampanga River flowed into the expressway, particularly under Tulaoc Bridge,” Tolentino said in a statement.

Aside from this province, Tolentino said there are also ongoing dredging activities in Hagonoy, Bulacan.