Dredging the lower part of the Cagayan River will save the province of Cagayan from severe floods, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu said, adding that this has already been approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. Based on a study conducted by government geologists, according to Cimatu, at least 30 kilometers from the mouth of the Cagayan River in Aparri town or up to Lallo and Alcala towns would need dredging to mitigate a repeat of severe flooding brought by Typhoon “Ulysses” in the province last week. Described as the “worst” flooding in Cagayan since 1972, Cagayan province was submerged in water late Friday night, killing more than a dozen people and affecting over 300,000 others and destroying more than P1 billion worth of crops, livestock and property and infrastructure.

Domingo, L. C. (2020, November 17). Dredging Cagayan River to stop floods - DENR chief. The Manila Times, p. A7.