In Bacolod, clearing of clogged waterways starts to ease city flooding
BACOLOD CITY—The city government here has begun a massive clearing operation on clogged waterways that contributed to the flooding of low-lying districts last week amid heavy rains brought on by the southwest monsoon, or “habagat.”
Mayor Greg Gasataya on Monday said that this week, they would focus on the drainage systems in Barangay Banago where water from nearby villages Mandalagan and Bata pass through toward the coast.
He was confident that when the clearing was completed, severe flooding in these areas would be immediately mitigated.
“There is a lot of work to be done in the northern part of Bacolod,” Gasataya said.
He emphasized that “action and our unity is the solution” as he reiterated his earlier appeal for residents to stop the indiscriminate throwing of garbage into the waterways.
Gasataya urged the community to “continue to work together to maintain the cleanliness of our environment.”
40 tons
The Banago cleanup drive comes after over 40 tons of trash and two truckloads of silt were removed from the Mambuloc Creek more than a week earlier.
Fifteen houses in Bacolod were damaged late last week due to flooding, toppled trees and strong winds. Twelve of these affected homes were located in Barangay Granada.
In response, the city government will provide P10,000 in assistance to each family whose house was damaged.
The city government plans to relocate residents currently living in hazardous waterways to ensure their safety.
Gasataya said immediate clearing of waterways and drainages was the short-term solution to the flooding problem.
In the medium-term, the mayor highlighted the need for large-scale flood mitigation projects at the mouths of the city’s rivers.
