By Henry Empeño | September 10, 2026

IBA, Zambales — The repair and rehabilitation of river dikes and other slope protection projects destroyed by storms and lahar flows in Zambales may balloon to a total of P1.28 billion, an amount more than double the aggregate price tags of the original structures.

According to reports compiled by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), damages to river dikes and other protective structures in the province totaled P569.26 million.

However, local engineering offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had placed the estimated reconstruction cost for the damaged structures at P1.28 billion, or almost 126 percent more than the total damage cost.

The PDRRMO said river dikes and slope revetments in Zambales bore the brunt of floodings and lahar overflows, which brought a total of P592 million in infrastructure and agriculture damages across the province in August.

Most of the destroyed dikes were in the northern towns, where a total of P472.41 million in damages was recorded.

In particular, nine sections of river dikes along the Bucao River in Botolan town, which channels lahar deposits downstream from Mount Pinatubo, were totally destroyed.

The DPWH Zambales 1^st Engineering District reported an estimated P932.33 million rehabilitation cost for these destroyed sections with a total length of 3,753 linear meters that originally cost a total of P375.3 million.

Six other dikes in the Zambales 1^st Engineering District with a total length of 863 linear meters were also destroyed, resulting in losses totaling P97.11 million and reportedly needing repairs worth P238.1 million.

These are slope protection projects along the Tapuac River in Masinloc town; Tanguay River, Kiling River, and Dalayap Creek-2 in Cabangan; and Bancal River in Botolan.

Down south, four river revetment projects in Subic and San Marcelino towns also collapsed, incurring total damages of P96.85 million over a total of 440 linear meters. The DPWH 2^nd Engineering District said it would cost a total of P114 million to rehabilitate the four slope protection structures.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Engineering Office reported a total of P4.41 million damages to three locally-funded infrastructure projects: the San Juan Sea Wall in Palauig town, worth P300,000; San Isidro Bridge in Botolan, P3.8 million; and Fiñones-Nanca Road in Barangay Rosete, San Felipe, at P310,000.

Damages to locally-funded projects brought the total toll on government infrastructure in Zambales to more than P573.67 million.

Following the breach of the Bucao River Dike last August 9, Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. called on the DPWH to prioritize the repair of river dikes, pointing out that lahar overflows from major river systems endanger nearby communities.

Ebdane, a former DPWH Secretary, also recommended that rehabilitation works be done “by administration” through local government units. This, he said, would cut expenses to a third of the usual cost and enable the government to carry out more projects. ▲