Mayors launch 'save Pampanga' movement

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Nine mayors allied with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have joined hands in urging the Aquino government to save their towns from devastation by rehabilitating the Arnedo diking system along the Pampanga River.

Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo said he and eight other mayors formed a movement called “Save the Fourth District, Save Arayat-Apalit Setback Levee” in their bid to protect their constituents from the danger posed by the collapse of the Arnedo dike.

The other mayors are Luis Chito Espino of Arayat, Asiong Macapagal of San Luis, Leonora Wong of San Simon, Oscar Tetangco Jr. of Apalit, Lito Naguit of Santo Tomas, Arturo Naguit of Minalin, Peter Flores of Masantol and Anneth Flores Balgan of Macabebe.

The mayors noted that about 17,000 families live between the Arnedo dike and the setback levee running through Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon and Apalit towns. These families face severe threat from any damage to the dikes during the rainy season, they said.

The mayors also noted that typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” were the worst to hit Pampanga in the last four decades. At least 99,095 families or 458,045 persons in the whole province were affected by the typhoons, they said.

“We must implement soonest the right engineering solution and intervention. The collapse of these dikes is calamity just waiting to happen. We can and must forestall this,“ Pelayo said. – With Ric Sapnu