Central Luzon’s top officials gathered in the City of San Fernando on May 25, 2026, to tackle bottlenecks and accelerate critical infrastructure projects that will shape the region’s future. The Regional Development Council Region 3 (RDC3) Executive Meeting, presided over by Zambales Governor and RDC3 Chairman Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., focused on expediting major programs that directly benefit Pampanga residents .
Vice Governor Dennis Pineda represented Governor Lilia Pineda — who serves as the Social Development Committee Chairperson — at the meeting . Bataan Governor Joet Garcia and Tarlac Governor Christian Tell Yap also joined, alongside key regional directors from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 3, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) III, and other agencies.
Three Major Pampanga Projects Take Center Stage
The council’s agenda featured three cornerstone initiatives aimed at solving long-standing challenges in the province. The Pampanga River Basin Flood Control Master Plan — first endorsed by RDC3 in December 2025 — represents a comprehensive strategy to address the perennial flooding that has plagued low-lying municipalities for decades . The council also prioritized the Lazatin Flyover Project in Angeles City, a 1.1-kilometer infrastructure that is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion along MacArthur Highway once completed within two years.
The third major initiative is the Manila Bay Integrated Flood Control and Coastal Defense Project — a multi-purpose coastal road-dike that has been advocated by Governors Pineda, Fernando of Bulacan, and Garcia of Bataan. This long-proposed project aims to provide a permanent solution to massive flooding in Pampanga and neighboring provinces, serving as both a defense against rising water levels and an alternative route to decongest traffic.
Overcoming Budget Bottlenecks for Faster Implementation
A key topic of discussion was the expediting of Fiscal Year 2026 funds currently categorized as “For Issuance of Special Allotment Order” (FISARO) within the DPWH Region 3 . This classification, which applies to projects introduced during budget deliberations rather than in the original National Expenditure Program, has historically slowed down the release of funds .
The council’s commitment to fast-tracking “For Later Release” (FLR) public works initiatives aligns with broader efforts to ensure that infrastructure projects reach completion on schedule. This push for efficiency has already yielded results elsewhere in the region — in March 2026, President Marcos Jr. inaugurated the P7-billion Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project in Masantol, which is expected to reduce flood duration in Pampanga’s low-lying towns from 66 days to just 17 days once fully completed.
A Coordinated Push for Flood Resilience and Connectivity
The RDC3 meeting reflects a “whole-of-region” approach to infrastructure development . The flood control projects are particularly urgent as authorities prepare for the upcoming wet season. In a complementary initiative announced just weeks before the meeting, a large-scale dredging of the Pampanga River — to be carried out by private companies at no cost to the government — is set to begin, prioritizing silt-clogged areas around Masantol and Macabebe .
For Kapampangans, these coordinated efforts signal that the days of accepting perennial flooding and daily traffic as unavoidable realities may soon be over. As Ebdane emphasized during a recent RDC3 meeting, “Hindi lang tayo basta nag-aapruba ng budget, tayo ay nagtatakda ng direksyon ng kaunlaran” (We are not just approving budgets — we are setting the direction of development).
