SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Flooding continued to affect 228 barangays in 16 localities in Pampanga with residents of some areas having to deal with waist to chest-deep water that has submerged homes, disrupted classes, and damaged livelihoods.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that Candaba had 32 flooded barangays, followed by Masantol with 26, and Guagua and Macabebe with 25 each. Flooding was also reported in Porac, Lubao, Sasmuan, Floridablanca and other areas.

Separately, the PDRRMO’s 16 August situational report said 875,996 people, or 274,734 families, had been affected across 374 barangays.

The figure represented the cumulative number of people affected during the disaster and did not indicate how many were currently displaced or staying in evacuation centers.

In parts of Candaba, the PDRRMO reported floodwaters reaching six to 14 feet (4.3 meters), with water levels rising beyond the critical five-meter mark in some areas.

The province remained under a state of calamity as flooding persisted. The PDRRMO attributed the flooding to the intense rain brought by the successive weather systems and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

In its 6 a.m. bulletin on 19 August, PAGASA warned of intermittent heavy rain, particularly in the afternoon and evening, and possible localized flooding in low-lying areas of the Pampanga River Basin.

The weather bureau placed Pampanga among the areas that could receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rain from 19 August to noon of 20 August.

On Tuesday, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda said Macabebe and Masantol being below sea level contributed to the recurring flooding, particularly when water backed up from the Pampanga River.

Pineda said the provincial government will ask a Japanese firm to do a feasibility study on long-term solutions, including dredging the rivers.

The flooding has submerged homes, suspended classes, damaged crops, and disrupted access to markets and workplaces.

“If promises were concrete, we wouldn’t be floating,” said a San Fernando resident.

Residents interviewed for this story said they had seen flood control plans and projects implemented over the years but remained concerned about recurring flooding in their communities.

Flood control projects under review

The flooding happened as Malacañang called for an accounting of 13,917 flood control projects reportedly implemented during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The review seeks to establish the location of the projects, whether they were completed and remain functional, and whether any are substandard or nonexistent.

The figure refers to projects reported by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) during the previous administration. It does not, by itself, establish that the projects were defective, incomplete, or fictitious. Those matters would have to be established through inspections, records reviews, and formal investigations.

The review is also expected to provide information on the projects’ locations, costs, contractors, completion status and maintenance.

Residents in flood-prone areas said they wanted the flood control projects in their communities included in the review.

“Good that they are asking now,” said Perla Richi of Bacolor. “But we have been asking for years. Why only now, when we are already waist-deep in water?”

Why Pampanga remains vulnerable

Pampanga’s vulnerability to flooding is linked in part to its low-lying terrain and extensive river and coastal systems.

Other factors that contribute to the flooding include drainage capacity, waterway obstructions, land-use changes and the condition and maintenance of existing infrastructure.

Government disaster officials have said flood control measures need to operate as a system involving dikes, pumping stations, drainage channels, river management, early warning systems and evacuation facilities.

The current flooding has also caused damage to agriculture. Initial assessments placed losses to crops, fisheries, and livestock at more than P508 million, affecting thousands of farmers.

Calls for long-term solutions

As the floodwaters recede in some areas, residents said they want the authorities to address both immediate relief and longer term flood management.

“Billions were allocated, contracts were signed, and groundbreaking ceremonies were held,” said Jun Gonzales. “But every year, we still float.”

The DPWH and local governments are expected to face questions over the status and performance of flood control projects in the affected communities.

Any allegations of defective, unfinished, and nonexistent projects will have to be established through government records, site inspections, audits, and formal investigations.

For families in Pampanga’s low-lying communities, the immediate concern remains the ongoing flooding. At the same time, residents are seeking information on the flood control projects in their areas and whether these are functioning as intended.