Pangasinan kicks off massive dredging program

The Pangasinan provincial government kicked off a 10-year river rehabilitation and flood mitigation project today, starting with the desilting of major river systems.

According to their official announcement, large dredging vessels will remove accumulated sediment from river mouths, including the Agno River and Limahong Channel, to address chronic flooding caused by siltation.

“The project was started at the mouth of coastal rivers using huge boats to remove mud, sand, and other sediments in the river that cause the overflow of major river systems,” the provincial government said this morning.

Governor Ramon Guico III said that the dredging works begin at the Limahong Channel in Lingayen and the Nayum River in Dasol. 

The project, a collaboration with national agencies and local governments, will abide by environmental laws with strict monitoring to prevent over-dredging.

The initiative also includes inland dredging, solid waste management, riverbank tree planting, and support for local clean-up drives.