Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon met with Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials and local government representatives to address water-flow and flooding concerns linked to the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in Pampanga and Bulacan.
The meeting focused on waterways affected by railway construction and measures needed to ensure the continuous and unobstructed flow of water in communities along the NSCR corridor.
Also present were Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, Apalit Mayor Jun Tetangco and other local officials, who raised concerns on the flooding situation and helped identify areas requiring immediate attention.
Dizon and Pineda subsequently called for the repair and widening of culverts beneath the NSCR tracks, covering affected areas in Pampanga, Bulacan and Manila. The initiative was also supported by the DOTr as part of the inter-agency effort to address water-flow and flooding concerns.
The discussion was reinforced by the experience of Team GIBA, particularly Team Apalit and Team Minalin, which, under Pineda’s guidance, removed obstructions from natural waterways beneath two NSCR stations.
The clearing operation reportedly resulted in the faster recession of floodwaters in the affected areas, demonstrating the importance of keeping waterways and drainage passages unobstructed.
The DPWH-DOTr meeting underscored the need for sustained coordination among national agencies and local governments to address water-flow issues associated with major infrastructure projects and help mitigate flooding in affected communities.
