Central Luzon govs seek Malacanang’s nod to start Manila Bay coastal road-dike project
CITY OF MALOLOS – Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando, alongside Pampanga Governor Dennis G. Pineda and Bataan Governor Jose Enrique S. Garcia III, has appealed to the Office of the President to officially start the construction of the Manila Bay Integrated Flood Control, Coastal Defense and Expressway Project.
Fernando said this during the commemoration of the 127th Anniversary of the Malolos Congress on Monday, September 15, at the historic grounds of Barasoain Church here.
The said project is a multi-purpose coastal road-dike which includes the Bataan-Cavite interlink bridge that aims to ease the traffic and combat the broad effects of flooding and to make the economic development zones in the country more accessible.
He said that this project was initially proposed by Bulakenyo hero and former Senator Gat Blas F. Ople in 1970s under the administration of then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. but was left neglected and unsupported.
“Panahon na para buhayin natin ang isinadiwa ng bayaning si Gat. Blas F. Ople. [Dahil] ang sakit-sakit [na] po sa dibdib. Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang paulit-ulit na pagdurusa kung mayroon naman palang inilaang solusyon para dito,” the People’s Governor said.
Fernando also recalled some of the proposed bills of former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on disaster preparedness and flood control which offer long-term solutions but also ended up unfunded.
“Natatandaan ko pa po ang diwa ng kaniyang mga batikos [nang] panahong iyon. Wika niya ay tila ayaw na yata ng ilan sa ating pamahalaan na magkaroon ng long-term solution sa pagbaha. Dahil ba kapag walang problema ay walang ganansiya?” he added.
Some of the bills that Santiago filed before the senate were the Senate Bill No. 3484 or the Flood Management Act of 2009 and the Senate Bill No. 1762 or the Culvert Safety Act of 2007.
“Kaya naman ito ay isang hamon sa atin. Alam ng ating mga kababayan kung ano ang totoo. Ang tanging dalangin ko, bago matapos ang aking termino ay makapag-iwan tayo ng mga konkretong solusyon para sa mga problemang deka-dekada nang pasan-pasan ng ating mga kababayan,” Fernando said. ###