Dagupan businesses struggle as prolonged flooding disrupts operations

DAGUPAN CITY — Businesses across this coastal city are grappling with severe disruptions as prolonged flooding has kept key commercial areas submerged for extended stretches. One year-old eatery along Old De Venecia Road has remained shuttered for the better part of August and into September, with the thoroughfare fronting the establishment remaining underwater for nearly the entire period.

Shop owners have attempted to resume operations whenever water levels recede, clinging to hopes of attracting customers during brief windows of opportunity. However, the intermittent nature of the flooding has made it difficult to maintain consistent business operations or rebuild lost revenue.

The flooding crisis has exposed the vulnerability of Dagupan's commercial sector to the region's recurring seasonal challenges. Business owners report mounting losses as the prolonged waterlogging shows no signs of immediate resolution. The situation has prompted concerns about the long-term viability of enterprises already struggling with the disruptions.

Local authorities have not yet announced comprehensive measures to address the recurrent flooding problem or provide relief to affected business operators. Meanwhile, merchants continue to await the eventual subsiding of waters and the restoration of normal commercial activity in the affected areas.