When flood waters from heavy rain hit Caluan and Bay towns in Laguna, this effectively cuts the province and isolates the fourth district from the progressive second and first districts, including Metro Manila.
Farm products from the highly agricultural fourth district towns of Pagsanjan, Kalayaan, Pakil, Paete, and Siniloan would have a hard time reaching markets in the cities.
The is the reason why San Miguel Corporation’s chairman Ramon Ang is proposing to Gov. Sol Aragones to widen the rivers and canals of the province, dredge them well, with SMC footing the bill. This should be done by the government, and this service is what the Filipinos are paying taxes for.
Shame on you, Philippine government, for it took RSA to point out what is needed, and where to get the money to make it done.
This problem is replicated in Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija—provinces in Central Luzon.
When the Candaba swamp is filled with flood waters during the rainy season, farm products from the agricultural towns in Bulacan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija which all pass the Candaba area are negatively impacted.
Rice, vegetables, poultry and livestock could pass the notoriously flooded Candaba town.
Jerry Pelayo, former mayor of Candaba and now the provincial administrator of Laguna, knows this by heart, but no action was taken during his time.
Current Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque is not one to be content in just knowing the problem. According to my friend, journalist and writer Joel P. Mapiles, Mayor Maglanque is fervently asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prioritize a proposed viaduct bypass road that could transform the region’s connectivity and economic resilience.
Joel Mapiles, the chief of the Provincial Information Office (PIO) of Pampanga, said Mayor Maglanque has issued a direct appeal to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, for the immediate release of P30-million to fund a feasibility study for the project, which seeks to link Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga via a raised bypass road through the flood-prone Candaba Swamp.
“I appeal to Secretary Bonoan to allocate even just P30 million to begin the feasibility study. This viaduct will ensure vehicles, especially those carrying agricultural products - can pass through Candaba even during floods,” Maglanque said.
The mayor stressed that while the funding request is modest, the potential impact is critical. The viaduct would provide an all-weather transport corridor, ensuring uninterrupted delivery of goods from Nueva Ecija and Bulacan to key destinations such as Metro Manila, Clark, and Subic.
“This is a small investment for the government, but it will deliver massive returns for farmers, traders, and the entire Central Luzon economy,” he added. I believe this move is supported by Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda, who knows what is good for her province.
Candaba’s location has long made it a chokepoint during the rainy season, with floodwaters rendering roads impassable and agricultural deliveries delayed or spoiled.
The proposed elevated road aims to solve this recurring problem with long-term infrastructure.
“Our farmers are losing not just crops, but income and opportunity. A viaduct bypass will not only save travel time - it will save livelihoods,” Maglanque said.
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