Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has pressed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and project contractor Almana Construction to fast-track the completion of the Burgos diversion channel, the city’s flood control project at the Reclamation Area, setting a year-end target for it to become operational.
During a coordination meeting at the Bacolod City Government Center yesterday, key agreements were made to speed up the project’s construction and address bottlenecks that have caused delays.
“Our priority is to open and operationalize the channel at the soonest possible time because the people have long been waiting for this project to be functional,” Gasataya said, emphasizing that the clear timetable removes any excuse for further delays.
The diversion channel, which began in 2023 with a P152-million budget, is intended to mitigate flooding in the city by redirecting excess water from Mambuloc Creek and nearby drainage systems during construction, reducing flood risks.
Gasataya confirmed that work on the inlet at Mambuloc Creek would begin on Wednesday, August 27, after the resolution of design and equipment concerns.
The DPWH has already finalized an engineering plan for the outfall along the coastline, which Almana Construction will implement.
The city will also provide crucial components such as a flap gate and a sluice gate to prevent seawater backflow, particularly during high tide.
These are expected to arrive within three months.
“As for the pumping station and other engineering interventions, these will be handled by the national government,” Gasataya stated.
The inlet is projected for completion within two months, with the installation of the gates to follow immediately upon delivery.
Earlier this month, DPWH requested an additional P125 million for the completion of a major flood control project in the Reclamation Area, as the construction of a 639-meter diversion channel remains on hold.
DPWH-Bacolod District Engineer Leah Jamero said the original budget of more than P147 million fell short, particularly for the purchase of a motor pump essential for directing floodwaters from surrounding areas straight to the coastline.
Jamero assured that once the budget request is approved by the DPWH Central Office, construction will move forward without delay.
She added that the project, identified under a 2019-2020 feasibility study, is part of the city’s long-term flood mitigation plan.
Meanwhile, Jamero earlier reported that Legacy Construction Firm, which has handled several large-scale projects in the past three years, has already completed one flood control project in 2022 and two more in 2023.
Its ongoing project in Barangay Pahanocoy, started in 2024, is now 95 percent complete.
Funding for such projects, she explained, depends largely on the national government’s budget constraints, with priority given to those already approved in planning studies./CJ, WDJ