The Department of Public Works and Highways is taking flood control to the source. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced that upstream interventions along the Pampanga River will begin soon, including the construction of five dams and detention basins targeted for completion by 2027 . The announcement follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen flood-control measures in the Pampanga River basin and protect riverside communities.
The strategy represents a significant shift in approach. Instead of relying solely on downstream dikes that have repeatedly failed, the DPWH is now focusing on blocking and regulating water flow before it reaches the low-lying plains of Arayat, Mexico, and San Fernando. "Meron tayong limang dam at detention basins na gagawin… Malaki ang maitutulong nun kasi doon pa lang sa taas, napipigilan na niya yung daloy ng tubig pababa dito" (We will build five dams and detention basins… That will help a lot because up there, the flow of water is being blocked before it comes down here), Dizon explained during an inspection of ongoing works in Pampanga.
Immediate Riverbank Reinforcement Underway in Arayat
While the five dams are being planned, the DPWH is rushing immediate interventions to prevent further erosion and flooding this rainy season. Workers are currently installing gabion walls—wire mesh cages filled with rocks—in Barangay Candating, Arayat, to stabilize the riverbank and prevent collapse . This nature-based solution replaces the substandard dike in the same area that collapsed multiple times last year, damaging more than a dozen riverside homes.
In nearby Barangay Cupang, the agency is expediting the installation of 24-meter sheet piles to reinforce the riverbank and prevent erosion. Dizon has ordered teams to complete the sheet piling within the next two weeks before the rainy season intensifies . During a recent inspection, Dizon was joined by Vice Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda, demonstrating coordination between national and local governments in addressing the province's perennial flooding problem.
Who Will Benefit: Arayat, Mexico, and San Fernando
The flood-control projects are specifically intended to protect vulnerable downstream communities. The areas expected to benefit include riverside barangays in the municipality of Arayat, as well as neighboring localities of Mexico and the City of San Fernando . These areas have historically suffered from severe flooding when the Pampanga River swells during heavy rains and typhoons.
The upstream dams and detention basins will work by capturing and holding excess water from the Pampanga River's headwaters, releasing it gradually to prevent sudden surges that overwhelm downstream dikes. This complements ongoing efforts by the provincial government, including a large-scale dredging of the Pampanga River being carried out by private companies at no cost to the government, prioritizing silt-clogged areas around Masantol and Macabebe .
A New Direction After Years of Substandard Infrastructure
The upstream strategy follows years of frustration with failed downstream flood-control structures. The Candating dike, which received nearly P295 million in cumulative government funding, collapsed multiple times—most recently in August 2024 during super typhoon "Carina," forcing the evacuation of more than 20 families . A Senate investigation was conducted following the repeated structural failures.
Dizon has made clear that the era of substandard projects is over. During an onsite inspection, he asserted: "Hindi tayo titigil sa trabaho natin at yung mga project natin, hindi tulad ng dati. Hindi na yan substandard, hindi na yan ghost" (We will not stop our work, and our projects will not be like before. No more substandard, no more ghost projects) . The DPWH is also working to relocate around 25 families living in danger zones along the riverbank before the rainy season begins, coordinating with the local government and the National Housing Authority.
