Residents of Barangay Pag-asa in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, are now closer to enhanced safety with the completion of a new flood mitigation structure along the Talavera River by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Implemented by the Nueva Ecija 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), this 266-meter structure is designed to protect the community and the environment.
It connects to existing slope protection along the river, reinforcing efforts to stabilize the banks and prevent erosion.
District Engineer Osias A. Santos emphasized that the area is particularly vulnerable to erosion during heavy rainfall and flooding, posing significant risks to local residents’ safety and livelihoods.
“By enhancing flood defenses, this project provides a safer and more sustainable environment for the community, especially since the river is just meters from the town center, which includes schools and a university,” Santos stated.
Moreover, the flood control project is situated across the Bagong Sibol Bridge, also built by the DEO in 2021, which connects Pag-asa, Talavera, to San Agustin, Sto. Domingo. Since its completion, the bridge has significantly boosted local agricultural businesses, making the flood mitigation structure both timely and beneficial for the community.
Engineer Santos also noted that the DEO will continue to allocate funds in the coming years to ensure the ongoing construction of barriers along the riverbank, protecting nearby residential and commercial areas from potential flood-related devastation.
This project has a total budget of P71.6 million, funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act and sourced from the Department’s Regular Infrastructure Program.
SOURCE: DPWH Region 3 Office
