Pampanga Arayat flood control dikes collapse consecutively — Vice Governor demands sheet piles to be pulled out for inspection

📌 On Friday, October 9, Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis Pineda urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to pull out and inspect the sheet piles embedded in the Pampanga River flood control dikes that collapsed consecutively in Arayat earlier this month, demanding that the causes and accountability be determined. The collapsed sections are in Barangays San Mateo and Lacquios, and a joint provincial government-DPWH task force is scheduled to extract sheet pile samples starting next week to check their quality.

■ What Happened
· On Friday, October 2, about 50 meters of the San Mateo dike collapsed, and a few days later, an additional 20-meter crack developed in the same area.
· The Lacquios dike also collapsed by about 30 meters. The date varies by report — the same day as San Mateo on the 2nd (The Manila Times 10/4), or the 3rd (The Manila Times 10/10).
· Multiple cracks also appeared starting October 1 on the Mandasig dike in neighboring Candaba, prompting 12 families living along the river to evacuate.
· Residents reported that there was no heavy rain or noticeable strong current when the collapse occurred. However, the initial report on October 4 stated that river water swollen by monsoon rains in recent weeks eroded the dike foundations, so the exact cause must be determined through a technical investigation.
· The project cost for the San Mateo dike is 291 million pesos, and around 200 households nearby are worried about potential overflow if the river swells again.

■ Next Steps
· Vice Governor Pineda stated that as similar collapses continue, responsibility must be determined, and called for an inspection of sheet pile quality and construction status.
· The nearby Candating dike collapsed three times: in August 2024, September 2025, and January 2026. At that time, there were also demands for a public inspection of the sheet piles, but the inspection did not take place as the contractor offered to repair them at no additional cost.

■ Tips for Residents and Travelers
· If you live near the Pampanga River in Arayat or Candaba, regularly check evacuation notices from the city hall or barangay.
· It is safest to stay away from collapsed or cracked dike sections and the roads on top of them.
· If you live near the dikes, keep valuables and documents in a high place in advance and plan your evacuation routes.

■ Sources
CLTV36 News (Official Facebook, 10/9), The Manila Times (10/4, 10/10) — Dike length, project cost, and number of households verified from a single source