For a start, Rep. Conrado Estrella III of Pangasinan’s sixth district has allocated P5 million from his countryside development fund (CDF) to start off the construction of the dike at barangay Batchelor East situated east of the town proper.
Another P5 million had also been earmarked by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from its flood control funds for the building of the dike.
Estrella announced the allocation of the fund at a program during the celebration of Natividad’s town fiesta last April 24-27. The town fiesta activities formed part of the highlights of Natividad’s 100th anniversary observance this year.
The youthful lawmaker earmarked the amount from his CDF following representations made by local officials headed by Mayor Alejandrea N. Supnet.
Estrella also pledged to help access more funds from other sources to stop once and for all the Viray River from continually eating a big chunk of farmlands at Barangay Batchelor East and downstream communities, particularly during the rainy season.
Mayor Supnet told The STAR that the farmers’ problem began during the killer earthquake that shook this town and other parts of northern Luzon on July 16, 1990.
The temblor loosened the Caraballo Mountain’s soil, resulting in the uprooting of countless trees that were subsequently carried by floodwaters to the lowlands.
The earthquake also reshaped the Viray River, with its wayward waters carrying a long stream of rocks, gravel, sand, and silt to the lowland farms, burying some of them.
Mayor Supnet, a first-termer, said that farmers subsequently lost their once fertile and productive fields.
The construction of the dike would arrest the destruction of the farms, she said.
Supnet said that the river’s level is now higher than those of the farms, hence, its waters often inundate and erode the fields, creating a big loss to the farmers.
In a related development, Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Q. Montemayor said the Department of Agriculture would help find solution to the erosion and related agriculture problems in Natividad.
He made the pledge during a recent dialogue with local farmers.
During the dialogue, local officials headed by Mayor Supnet and farmer-leaders from various Natividad barangays referred to Montemayor problems in their farming activities.
Specifically, Mayor Supnet mentioned the continued damage being caused by the river on the farmlands, especially during the rainy season.
The farmers also cited cases wherein they were required to pay irrigation fees to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) even though no irrigation water was reaching their farmlands downstream.
Montemayor ordered DA Region I Director Rogelio Signey to look into the farmers’ complaints. – Rudy Fernandez