By CESAR JOLITO III
Bacolod City has officially launched Oplan Kontra Baha yesterday, a citywide campaign to declog rivers, creeks and drainage systems as part of an intensified effort to prevent flooding and improve water management.
Five days into the program, city officials report that 21 percent of the target volume of debris has already been cleared.
Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the initiative, which is expected to run for months, focuses on clearing nine major rivers and creeks and maintaining drainage systems, targeting 30,000 cubic meters of accumulated waste.
“Sige sige ‘ni siya … This is a clean-up drive that will last approximately four to six months,” Benitez said.
“Ginsuguran ta na ang drainage kag ang mga madala sang aton river warriors, tanan gid nga rivers lab-uton, target ta,” he said.
Benitez said city teams are discussing additional equipment to speed up clearing operations.
The program is led by the city’s river warriors, and an additional 3,000 volunteers will be deployed by January to conduct a second round of clearing in areas not fully addressed in the first sweep.
The lawmaker said this scale-up is vital to reach the city’s overall cleanup target.
Most of the debris — estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 tons — consists of waste, tree branches and other materials washed down by Typhoon “Tino” on November 4, which later contributed to increased flooding during Tropical Depression “Verbena” on November 25.
Blocked rivers and drainage outlets exacerbated water accumulation in low-lying areas.
Looking ahead, Benitez said the city is accepting proposals from private sector partners and other stakeholders with innovative solutions to prevent flooding.
These will be discussed in the 2nd Flood Management Summit on December 10.
“Ang aton long-term [measure] i-update ta. Ga-solicit na kita sang proposals kun paano masolbar ang baha,” he added, emphasizing the city’s commitment to sustainable, long-term flood mitigation.
The launch of Oplan Kontra Baha marks a coordinated push by Bacolod City to strengthen its waterways and protect residents from future storm-related flooding, combining manpower, equipment, and community participation.
The initiative, led by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), aims to swiftly address persistent flooding in the city through aggressive clearing, deepening and rehabilitation of rivers, creeks, and drainage channels.
After the cleanup, the DPWH will immediately commence dredging and desilting operations as part of medium-term interventions.
Benitez emphasized that the cleanup serves as a short-term solution while longer-term flood control engineering projects are being prepared and implemented.
Bacolod will also host the next Flood Mitigation Summit on December 10, where national and local agencies will further outline long-term strategies to curb flooding across the city./CJ, WDJ