In a bid to reduce flooding in one of Eastern Visayas’ busiest urban centers, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has begun dredging and desilting operations in the Mangonbangon River – a major waterway that drains floodwater from several communities in Tacloban City.
The project, undertaken by the DPWH Regional Office in Eastern Visayas, in partnership with the DPWH Tacloban City District Engineering Office and the Tacloban City Government, forms part of the Marcos Jr. administration’s intensified flood mitigation campaign aimed at protecting lives, properties, and livelihoods from the impacts of increasingly frequent heavy rains, the Philippine Information Agency said.
The dredging operations seek to remove accumulated silt, sediment, and debris that have narrowed portions of the river over the years, restoring its capacity to carry larger volumes of water and improving drainage during periods of intense rainfall.
The Mangonbangon River project will be implemented in four phases, beginning in Barangay 110 (Utap) before progressing to other sections of the river.
DPWH Regional Director, Edgardo Tabacon, said that the project is particularly significant for Tacloban City, where flooding has become a recurring concern, especially in low-lying barangays and portions of the downtown area.