PAMPANGA vice-governor and Converge coach Dennis 'Delta' Pineda considers the current PBA break as very timely, allowing him to focus entirely on his constituents amid the onslaught of continuous monsoon rains and widespread flooding across the province.
From maneuvering his vintage 4x4 truck through submerged streets to boarding the bucket of an equipment loader in deeply inundated areas, Pineda has been at the frontlines round the clock to check on his Kabalens and deliver critical relief.
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The 52-year-old tactician and son of Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda revealed they have barely slept over the past few days as provincial disaster response operations shifted into 24/7 mode.
“Hindi po muna kami natutulog kasi po matter of life and death ang mga kabalen namin dito sa Pampanga. Siguro naman ho nakikita niyo sa social media yung epekto — ilang bahay na sa amin ang nilubog at nilamon ng baha,” Pineda shared.
With the FiberXers currently on a scheduled recess, Pineda stated that even if the team resumes training by September 2, his coaching staff will take the helm if the weather crisis persists.
“Di ko po muna iniisip yung iba except ito pong delubyo. Buhay ng mga kababayan namin ang nakasalalay. Yung ensayo po, if ever magkaroon na kami, may mga tao naman po tayong magmamando muna dun,” he explained.
“Maiintindihan naman siguro ako ng team ko kasi karamihan sa kanila may mga kamag-anakan rin na apektado ng grabeng pagbaha dito,” he added.
Opting to drive his pick-up without security escorts so he could maximize passenger space for Capitol staff, rescue personnel, and relief packs, Pineda emphasized that immediate frontline presence is non-negotiable.
“Kailangan po namin ng mabilis na aksyon eh. Mahirap naman ho magdala pa 'ko ng mga tao ko na hindi naman makakatulong sa relief operations namin saka sa pagtugon sa kailangan ng mga kababayan namin,” Pineda noted.
“Pag po hindi na kaya ng sasakyan, yung backhoe po ang gamit namin. Sumasakay kami dun sa bucket para makatawid sa baha. Need namin alamin ang lagay ng mga kababayan namin at pilitin silang mailikas,” he added.
Pineda pointed out that Pampanga’s perennial battle with severe flooding is deeply rooted in the province’s topography.
During the recent high-level visit and situational briefing led by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in Central Luzon, the Pinedas, their provincial officials, and the Chief Executive engaged in detailed discussions on long-term flood control master plans, comprehensive desilting of major river outlets, and continuous multi-agency relief convergence.
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