CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is exploring nature-based and basin-wide approaches to manage flooding in communities surrounding the Pampanga River Basin and Manila Bay.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said flood management must focus on controlling the movement of water rather than relying solely on conventional concrete infrastructure.
“The key is to manage the water, where the water will go,” Dizon said.
The DPWH has engaged Dutch engineering consultancy Haskoning to discuss possible interventions suited to the geography and environmental conditions of flood-prone areas.
One proposal involves an inland earth dike near Manila Bay that would be separate from the larger coastal defense project being developed with the Asian Development Bank.
Dizon said the proposed earth dike could incorporate bamboo cribs and mangrove planting as part of a nature-based approach to flood protection.
“Hindi laging ang solusyon sa problema eh semento, project, hindi laging ganun,” he said.
He said simple measures such as earth dikes, bamboo cribs and mangrove planting could provide significant benefits when properly placed and designed.
“Minsan, simpleng earth dike lang, simpleng bamboo crib lang, pagtatanim lang ng mangrove, malaking bagay na yun,” Dizon added.
The proposed inland dike could affect some fishpond areas and require right-of-way considerations that would have to be assessed with affected communities.
Dizon said these interventions could be pursued without waiting for the longer implementation period required for major coastal defense infrastructure.
“These are solutions that we can implement now, we don’t have to wait five years, 10 years for that,” he said.
He emphasized that the strategy should cover interconnected communities because flooding and water movement do not follow municipal boundaries.
The broader area of consideration includes communities in Pampanga and Bulacan such as Paombong, Hagonoy, Calumpit and Sasmuan.
Dizon said properly managed water could also potentially support irrigation, fishponds and communities instead of being treated only as floodwater that needs to be removed.
The DPWH said continued coordination with local governments, technical experts and affected stakeholders will be needed to develop the proposed basin-wide and nature-based interventions.
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