Food for work program to kick off in Dagupan

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/989795
• Sunday, May 21, 2017

(lvmicua/PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY — The city government of Dagupan is set to start cleaning esteros and drainage canals under the food for work program supported by the Department of public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

City Administrator Farah Decano said the program was a national government initiative to be implemented by the city government with the barangay people mobilized to work in unclogging "esteros" and drainage canals in their respective areas,

She said under the program, the barangay residents would work on the project but would not be paid in cash but on rice provided by DSWD.

Barangay chairmen will pick the people to work on this project, which is being done yearly to mitigate the impact of the flood that may be coming during the rainy days, Decano added.

It is also intended to make Dagupan City safer from dengue-causing mosquitoes. Esteros and drainage canals are where these mosquitoes lay their eggs.

All barangays of Dagupan are set to be covered by the program but declogging of esteros will first be started in the poblacion, particularly in the flood-prone areas.

The dredging of the shallow river system is still going on with the help of two dredging machines deployed to Dagupan by the DPWH, she said.

She added that Mayor Belend Fernandez had also stepped up her program to elevate roads in low-lying areas of the city to minimize flooding.

At the same time, the city government is working closely with the DPWH and Fourth District Congressman Christopher de Venecia to the continuation of flood control projects along the banks of the Pantal River starting in Barangay Pogo Chico. (lvmicua/PNA)