Pinatubo Funds

>>>Some posts back, this topic was raised by Gene. I wonder though
how far this "palliative" measure can go or is it just another way
of lining the pockets of politicians who will benefit from
kickbacks? Why even bother to resort to band-aid solutions that are
only short-term in nature. This government is embarrassingly short-
sighted and useless.<<<


Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has directed the Mt.
Pinatubo Rehabilitation Project Division to go full blast in the
excavation and pilot channeling of the Sto. Tomas river near the
Maculcol bridge in San Marcelino and San Felipe, Zambales. DPWH
regional director Aquino said that the Department of Budget and
Management has initially released P10 million for the de-silting and
pilot channeling of the river.

Ebdane inspected the channeling project last September 15 in which
he said that "in critical times, it is better to implement
palliative measures rather than not doing anything at all."

Assistant DPWH regional director Marcelina Ocampo, concurrent chief
of PRPD, said that the 400-meter Maculcol bridge has been inundated
many times by lahar flows from Mt. Pinatubo. Those inundations have
caused the accumulation of silt underneath the bridge and have since
been feared of being overtopped. The project is being implemented by
administration using government-owned scrapers, bulldozers and
backhoes.

Ocampo said DPWH would save a lot in implementing the channeling
project by administration.