By JEN BAYLON

Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City is set to implement a declogging project aimed at mitigating flooding in vulnerable areas after heavy rainfall.

Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. confirmed that funds have been secured from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), despite the request for this infrastructure project being made four years ago.

The project will involve dredging and declogging efforts in several flood-prone locations that have already been surveyed.

Key areas to be prioritized include Villa Sagrado near Gindaskan Creek, and Hacienda Carmen in Barangay Daga.

Escalante indicated that the project at Gindaskan Creek alone requires an estimated budget of P250 million, while P90 million has been allocated by the DPWH.

The plan prioritizes declogging the creek before proceeding with other construction efforts.

All necessary clearances, including permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, have been secured for the project.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson noted that the Cadiz City government borrowed a dredging machine from the provincial government to address flooding issues, emphasizing the need to deepen shallow rivers to facilitate better water flow.

Floods caused by heavy rains in recent days led to preemptive evacuations in several barangays in the city, underscoring the urgency of these flood control measures./JB, WDJ