Dagupan city: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), together with local government units (LGUs), will implement dredging, deploy mobile pumps, and construct water detention basins as immediate, medium, and long-term measures to address flooding in Dagupan City.
According to Philippines News Agency, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon emphasized the urgency of dredging the upstream of the Sinocalan River, where many areas remain submerged in water for extended periods. He confirmed that dredging equipment will be mobilized shortly to commence the work.
Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III has offered assistance, and the province's dredging equipment will be deployed along with other resources. Besides dredging, four mobile pumps will be installed to remove water from various barangays and repair any damaged gabions.
Dizon also mentioned that the floodgates in Barangays Bacayao Sur and Bacayao Norte will undergo repairs and be handed over to the City Engineering Office. The backflow issue of the Pantal River in Careenan Poblacion Oeste will be tackled as well.
For medium-term solutions, the city plans to construct two water detention basins, drawing inspiration from the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan's successful project at the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral. These basins will be located at the city plaza and Inarangan Lake. Improvements in the road and drainage system along Burgos Street, a key area in the central business district, are also planned.
The medium-term projects are slated to begin in 2027, with the aim of completion before the rainy season that year. For long-term solutions, Dizon outlined the construction of a man-made lake or water detention basin on 47 hectares of land in Calasiao town. This project involves creating a channel to divert water from Calasiao directly to the Pantal River, thus preventing it from reaching Dagupan City. The planning and execution of this project are expected to take around two and a half years.
Dizon called for continuous support from LGUs to ensure the successful implementation of these projects.
