Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda on Monday personally appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for help as hundreds of barangays in the province remained inundated by floodwaters.

During a situational briefing with the President, an emotional Pineda reported that 314 barangays across 16 local government units remained flooded.

She said more than 1 million people have been affected, with over 3,000 families still staying in evacuation centers.

Pineda also reported P1.4 billion in agricultural damage caused by Super El Niño, Typhoons Maymay and Luis, and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

She appealed to the Marcos administration for the necessary P100 billion funding for a National Irrigation Administration project, saying Pampanga could no longer endure the volume of water flowing into the province from Aurora, Nueva Ecija and the Sierra Madre.

“That is why I am asking the President na maawa sa mga kababayan ko. Dahil baka mawala sa mapa ang Pampanga. Mayroon naman palang solusyon at may utos na pala sya kay NIA na gagawa sila ng sabo dams doon mismo sa Bundok ng Sierra Madre para maipon doon at hindi bumuhos sa Pampanga. Mayroon palang pag-asa. At gusto ng Presidente, long term,” Pineda said in an ambush interview at the Pampanga Capitol in San Fernando on Monday.

A Sabo dam is a specialized check dam built across mountain streams or the upper reaches of rivers to catch and control fast-moving debris, mud, large rocks and logs during heavy rains and flash floods while allowing normal water and sediment to flow through.

Flood control remains the problem

During an aerial inspection, Marcos and Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon saw the extent of flooding caused by recent typhoons and the southwest monsoon, particularly in Pampanga and Bulacan.

“Talagang ramdam na ramdam na napakabigat ng ulan at napakarami ang bumagsak na tubig kaya na-overwhelm lahat ng ating mga flood control na – flood management program.

“Ang problema, kitang-kita, siyempre alam naman natin na marami sa, halimbawa sa Bulacan, na mga flood control na hindi naman nagawa kaya nagkakaganito. Ngunit kailangan din natin maunawaan na hindi lang dahil sa problema ng flood control project, kung hindi pati na sa lakas talaga ng ulan na hindi pa natin nakita sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas,” Marcos told reporters.

The President said climate change also contributed to the severe flooding in Central Luzon, stressing that failed flood control projects were not the sole cause.

“Ito ang naging resulta ng climate change. Kailangan maunawaan din ng tao na ‘yung climate change ay talagang nandito na at nandiyan tayo naaapektuhan. Hindi bale at tayo’y gumawa – nakapagdesisyon tayo tungkol sa mga immediate measures na kailangang gawin in the immediate term, in the medium term, and in the long term,” he said.

“In the immediate term, siyempre aayusin natin ‘yung mga nasira at babalikan natin lahat nung mga nasira. Iyon ang pinaka-immediate na kailangan gawin madalian para matapos ulit. Ang problema din diyan ay hindi pa tayo nakakasiguro kung titigil na ‘yung ulan. Dahil kailangan natin, halimbawa may mga lugar may tubig pa, hindi pa natin ma-assess kung ano ‘yung damage dahil may tubig pa, na binabaha pa. Kailangan natin hintayin ‘yan,” Marcos added.

The President said five Sabo River Dam projects are planned in Nueva Ecija to manage water flowing from the Sierra Madre.

“At ‘yan ay makakatulong para bawasan ang bilis nang pagbaba ng tubig, mabawasan ang siltation, at makakapag-ipon pa tayo ng tubig para gamitin for household use, industrial, for irrigation sa agrikultura,” he said.

Marcos said the projects are part of a long-term master plan that also includes the construction of dikes in parts of Bataan.

“That is about a hundred kilometers kaya medyo matatagalan. Pero pinag-aaralan na natin para at least, at the very least mayroon tayong plano at mayroon na tayong masisimulan doon sa napakahaba na gagawing dike na kalsada para maharang ang tubig na nanggagaling sa dagat, sa Manila Bay,” he said.