Gordon calls for creation of DPWH team to do 'engineering interventions'
on infrastructures

Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind.) today urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to create a unit tasked solely to undertake "engineering interventions" to ensure that infrastructures will weather the onslaught of calamities.

Gordon made the call after ten villages in Botolan, Zambales were plunged in floodwaters when a portion of the San Juan dike collapsed due to the onslaught of typhoon "Kiko," which caused connecting rivers to swell.

"The DPWH should have a team that would regularly check on infrastructures to determine if they will hold out when calamities, such as typhoons and earthquakes, strike the country. We should learn to reduce risk in time," he said.

"Ngayon gagastos ng P200-million to repair the damaged dike. Mas malaki ang gastos. If the dike was checked earlier, any damage would have been repaired on time. That is risk management," he added.

Gordon pointed out that the DPWH should also conduct regular clearing operations on waterways to prevent clogging that could cause floods.

"For example, thick carpets of water lilies clogged the Rio Grande de Mindanao and caused some parts of Mindanao to remain under waist-deep waters," he said.

The flooded barangays in Botolan included Carael, Tampo, Batonlapoc, Paco, Paudpod, Capayawan, San Juan, San Miguel, Beneg and Banagan.

At least 4,482 families were displaced when floodwaters heavy with mud from the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo plunged their barangays last Friday. The displaced families could not immediately return to their houses because these were filled with mud up to the second floor.

The senator, also chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), was on his way to Botolan town last Saturday to lead a Red Cross team in conducting relief operations and to check the extent of damage to the dike, but had to abort his plan after figuring in a vehicular accident.