The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is undertaking river dredging works in Samar and Leyte to alleviate flooding.
Citing reports from DPWH Region 8 Director Edgar B. Tabacon, DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said that 11 units of dredging equipment to desilt major waterways in Eastern Visayas Region are already operational.
Amphibious excavators have been deployed to Sta. Sofia Canal in Padre Burgos; Hilongos, Leyte; Mangonbangon River in Tacloban City, Leyte; Bangon River, Palo, Leyte; and in Canturing River in Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
Moreover, DPWH Region 8 Equipment Management Division (EMD) have desilted portions of Burayan River in Tacloban City starting from Barangay San Jose to Barangay Marasbaras, all the way to V&G Subdivision.
With the use of an amphibious excavator, an estimated volume of 288 cubic meters of silted materials were removed during the non-stop 6-hour dredging operation.
“These efforts are being done to ensure the safety of residents, mitigate effects of flooding on livelihood, water quality, and vegetation, and to protect roads and bridges from flood-related damage and destruction,” added Secretary Bonoan.
Aside from Burayan River, dredging operations have been ongoing for two (2) years in Bangon River, eventually mitigating floods in the town of Palo, Leyte.
A Watermaster Classic IV has also been deployed to dredge Calbiga River in Calbiga, Samar under corrective maintenance.