The Bacolod City government targets to remove about two million cubic meters of waste from rivers and creeks in the ongoing major clearing operations following the massive floods brought about by Tropical Depression “Verbena.”
Aside from the higher than usual volume of rainfall recorded on November 25, the city has identified several challenges such as clogged drainage, poor stormwater flow, silted waterways, infrastructure blockages, and poor waste management that led to the flooding.
In a statement, Mayor Greg Gasataya said the city government wants to approach the flooding problem on a scientific level amid calls for accountability from several sectors.
“We now have additional equipment needed for the dredging and clearing of waterways since the last time these operations were conducted was way back in 2016 and 2017,” he said.
On Wednesday, November 26, Gasataya and Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez attended the alignment meeting with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), led by Undersecretary for Special Concerns Charles Calima, for the implementation of the “Oplan Kontra Baha” initiative in the city.
“We held an alignment meeting to synchronize efforts for the rollout of Oplan Kontra Baha. The DPWH presented the short-term interventions that will begin with immediate dredging, declogging and desilting works,” Benitez said in a separate statement.
A total of 3,000 beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program facilitated by Benitez’s office were deployed to clean the waterways in various barangays.
Each beneficiary will receive a daily minimum wage for 10 days.
“This is a short-term solution for flood mitigation, with long-term plans still in discussion. Addressing flooding requires collective action and together, we are committed to delivering effective and lasting solutions for Bacolod,” Benitez said.
Gasataya said among the city’s proactive measures is the use of weather and water level monitoring equipment that significantly aided response efforts during Tropical Depression “Verbena.”
He urged the DPWH to fast-track the completion of the diversion channel along Burgos Street, noting that the unfinished project contributed to flooding in the vicinity of the Reclamation Area and the Bredco Port.
The mayor said he also requested for immediate inspection of the damaged flood walls along the rivers that overflowed during the weather disturbance. (PNA)