P91.57-M Nueva Ecija town flood control projects near completion

THREE flood control projects intended to protect residential and farm areas in the town of San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija are almost complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced on Sunday.

The three structures have a combined cost of P91.57 million, the department said in a statement.

One project, a 135.2-linear meter flood control structure along Tabuating Creek, has been completed ahead of its August deadline.

This will be complemented by two others: a 222.4-lineal meter structure in Barangay Tabuating along the Pampanga River, which is 83% done; and a 180-lineal meter wall along Peñaranda River, currently at almost 80% completion.

“The completion of the projects will not only ensure protection of lives in times of calamities. It can also help prevent massive damage on the locals’ source of livelihood, which is heavily reliant on farming and other agricultural industries,” said DPWH Regional Office 3 Director Roseller A. Tolentino.

San Leonardo, classified as a first-class municipality, is prone to flooding during typhoons as it is a flatland surrounded by active waterways — the Tabuating Creek in the north, Pampanga River in the west, and Peñaranda River from its northeast to southwest tip.