The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday began demolishing a substandard dike in Barangay Calizon as part of a reconstruction project aimed at correcting past engineering failures linked to government corruption.

The new river control project replaces a structure that became the subject of legal action against former DPWH district officials accused of misusing government funds.

During an inspection Tuesday, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon and Calumpit Mayor Lem Faustino oversaw the installation of 15-meter steel sheet piles, a construction standard designed to prevent the Bagbag River from overflowing.

The 1.2-kilometer project is scheduled for completion by March 2027. Once finished, it is expected to protect approximately 3,000 residents from the chronic flooding that plagues the area during heavy rains.

Engineers are using 12-meter sheet piles reinforced with an additional 3-meter height extension to reach a total of 15 meters. This height is intended to shield the community from water surges during high tide and heavy discharge from nearby dams.

“The solution for these works is for the long term,” Dizon told Faustino. “That is why we are building this to last.”

Calumpit and neighboring Hagonoy are among the most flood-prone municipalities in Bulacan. Situated in the low-lying plains of Central Luzon, the towns serve as a catchment area for water traveling toward Manila Bay.

The region frequently faces severe flooding caused by typhoons, high tides, and the release of excess water from the Bustos and Ipo dams, which flows back into these riverside communities.