Massive dredging operation will stop flooding – Macanlalay

Induction: Calasiao Vice Mayor Roy T. Macanlalay (2nd from left) posed for posterity after he was inducted by Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Antonio “Bebot” A. Villar Jr as the president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines-Pangasinan Chapter.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO-  Vice Mayor Roy Macanlalay said there was a need to dredge the delta of the Pantal River in Dagupan City  up to the upstream part of the Sinoculan River to avoid  the recurrence of massive flooding in this town and Dagupan.

Macanlalay,an engineer, explained that it would be useless if dredging of the river bed is confined only in this town and Sta. Barbara town.

 

He said there would still be flood here and in Dagupan City because the flow of the river is slowed down and obstructed by the thick silts in Dagupan rivers.

 

His proposal for a massive dredging would need millions of pesos from the national government.

It should be noted that Eng. Rodolfo Dion, chief of the 2nd District Engineering of the Department of Public Works & Highway, earlier said it cost P10 thousand for a 200 liters of diesel fuel for a dredging machine for an hour to get a roughly 1000 cubic meters of silt.

Dion recommended a six-hour a day operation for one year.

This meansP60,000  is needed everyday, and a staggering almost P2.2 billion for a year, if it would  a daily activity.

Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay told this paper that this town alone needs P10 to P30 million a year to dredge the Marusay River here.