Two Pampanga officials appealed to Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to take swift action on the damaged setback levee of the protective dike in Barangay Cupang, Arayat, Pampanga, warning that the compromised structure could endanger thousands of families across several municipalities.

Arayat Mayor Jeffrey Luriz and Pampanga Third District Representative Mica Gonzales raised the concern alongside other municipal and provincial officials and engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office.

The officials conducted a joint on-site inspection with DPWH engineers after reports of large cracks along portions of the setback levee in Barangay Cupang.

The DPWH Pampanga 1st District Engineering Office earlier said it is addressing the damaged concrete slope protection and the newly constructed asphalt overlay concrete road pavement on the setback levee.

According to the agency, the damage was caused by structural fatigue from heavy trucks and equipment, as well as natural factors such as rapid water flow and scouring that led to soil instability.

Luriz and Gonzales suggested repairing the dike “by administration,” a move that would allow DPWH to take direct control of the repair works.

Completed in 2014, civil works on the setback levee in the Barangay Cupang section of the Pampanga River were awarded and funded by the DPWH to LR Tiqui Construction for P124 million.

The rehabilitation of the breached dike included slope protection with steel sheet piles along the Apalit–Arayat setback levee in the Barangay Cupang section of the Pampanga River.

Thousands of families from Arayat, Sta. Ana, Mexico, and Magalang have benefitted from the rehabilitation, with no major flooding reported in the 11 years since the project was completed.