By CESAR JOLITO III
Heavy rains triggered by a low pressure area and habagat or the southwest monsoon forced the evacuation of more than 100 families and the suspension of classes in parts of southern Negros Occidental.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that a total of 106 families, or about 270 individuals, were displaced due to flooding and minor landslides in low-lying and riverside communities.
PDRRMO data showed 43 families (126 persons) from Barangays 1 and Dancalan in Ilog town sought temporary shelter.
In Cauayan town, 11 families (34 individuals) from Barangay Guiljungan were evacuated, while 52 families (110 persons) from Barangays Gil Montilla and Mambaroto in Sipalay City were affected.
At least 3,526 residents in Kabankalan City were rescued and brought to 10 evacuation centers.
Other local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including Hinoba-an, Sipalay City, Cauayan, Ilog, Candoni, Calatrava, La Carlota, and Pontevedra, have experienced severe flooding.
According to Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division, evacuations began on Tuesday, August 26, after persistent rains caused isolated flooding.
Ploteña also confirmed a rockslide in Barangay 4, Sipalay City, but the road was cleared and reopened to motorists yesterday morning.
Soil erosion was observed along a riverbank in the city, prompting the local government to conduct an assessment to prevent further damage.
Ploteña said the PDRRMO remains on heightened alert as rains are expected to continue.
Relief operations and damage assessments are ongoing in coordination with LGUs.
Meanwhile, classes in flood-affected areas were suspended to ensure the safety of students.
Several localities — such as La Castellana, Kabankalan, Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, Candoni, Ilog, Himamaylan City, Cauayan, Sipalay, Isabela, Moises Padilla, and Binalbagan — also suspended classes yesterday as a precautionary measure due to persistent heavy rains and the threat of flooding.
The suspension covers all levels in both public and private schools.
Spilled
Twenty houses were affected in La Castellana’s Barangay Biak na Bato after raging waters spilled from Tamburong Creek following heavy rains on Monday night, August 25.
Barangay councilman Alan Tomaquin said the creek swelled immediately, as it was full of lahar that solidified.
He said if the rain persists, more houses will be seen to be affected by the flooding.
The La Castellana municipal government has already submitted to the provincial government its planned clearing operation of lahar that solidified in waterways affecting the barangay.
However, the local government has not received the permit yet.
Earlier, provincial officials had already raised concerns over the compounding impact of climate-related disasters on the farming sector, which remains a primary livelihood source in Negros Occidental.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson previously called on municipalities to reassess their disaster protocols, emphasizing the need for early warning systems and improved climate resilience among farming communities.
Relief and recovery assistance are expected to be rolled out in the coming days, with the provincial government urging national agencies to expedite aid for affected farmers./CJ, WDJ
Caption
Motorists waded through floods along the national highway at Barangay Dancalan in Negros Occidental’s Ilog town yesterday, August 27, 2025. More than 100 families from four localities in the province sought temporary shelter following heavy rains triggered by a low pressure area and the southwest monsoon caused flooding since Tuesday, August 26. (Spag-asa Feeding / Fr. Jude Mirasol Garceniego photo)