Fund for Agno unknown yet – flood control boss

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ROSALES – The head  of the Agno Flood Control System of the Department of Public Works & Highway has no idea how much would be appropriated for his office from the  almost P100 billion Disbursement Acceleration Fund (DAF)to be implemented this year.

Project Manager Edgardo Paragas said that allocation from the DAF or famously known as stimulus package,  depends upon the requisition of the five congressmen in Pangasinan whose districts are traversed by the Agno River.

“Last year we had P200 milion, plus maintenance fund for the  Phase 1 and Phase 2 ng Agno Flood Control,” he said.

Last year he oversaw the construction of dikes in two phases,  Agno Phase 1, from Lingayen to Bayambang and Phase 2 from Bayambang to a portion in Alcala.

The flood control not only oversee the building of dikes but also the dredging of the various rivers in Pangasinan.

His office owns the dredging machine docked at the Pantal River in Dagupan City.

Paragas  agreed with the pronouncement of Eng. Rodolfo Dion, chief of the 2nd District Engineering of the DPWH, who earlier said dredging at the delta of Pantal River up to the Sinocalan River in Sta. Barbara entails 200 liters of diesel for an hour for the dredging machine.

 Dion recommend a six- hour a day dredging that would cost P60 thousand a day or a staggering P2.2 billion for the one year ideal operation.