• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Another 3,000 “river warriors” in Bacolod City will be tapped in the clearing and declogging of waterways, which will last four to six months, Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.
Aside from additional manpower, Benitez said they will also add heavy equipment for use in the clearing creeks and rivers to reach their target of cleaning the nine waterways.
After the launch five days ago, they were able to accomplish 21 percent of the target to declog rivers, creeks and other waterways in Bacolod City, which is equivalent to 6,000 to 7,000 tons of waste.
About two million cubic meters of waste from rivers and creeks are being targeted to be removed in the ongoing major clearing operations under the Oplan Kontra Baha program.
The recent widespread flooding in Bacolod City was blamed on waste and branches of trees that clogged waterways, due to Typhoons Tino and Verbena, with debris estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 tons.
“For us to reach our target, we will have round two of clearing and declogging operations, employing 3,000 more river warriors by January next year,” Benitez said.
An initial 3,000 Bacolod residents, referred to as “river warriors,” have been mobilized for a 10-day massive clearing and declogging operations in waterways.
They are beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
In a dialog with barangay captains, Benitez said the 3,000 “river warriors” will be used as spokespersons to discourage individuals from throwing their waste in waterways.
The lawmaker said the cleanup drive should be done in a regular basis, not being done after flooding.
The Oplan Kontra Baha also involves the Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Social Welfare and Development, and Transportation.
Under the Oplan Kontra Baha operational plan, the length of drainages along national and local roads in Bacolod was reported at 138.271 kilometers, with 30,785 cubic meters of waste.
Nine rivers, creeks and esteros, with a length of 169.447 kilometers, are estimated to have filled waste estimated at 2.175 million cubic meters.
Needed are 200 units of equipment in dredging and hauling of waste from waterways.
Benitez said they are soliciting proposals from the private sector, and many others, who have an idea, or proposal, to solve the flooding problem.
The second flood summit meeting in Bacolod City, is slated on Dec. 10.
DPWH Undersecretary Charles Calima said that most of heavy equipment used in declogging operations came from the private sector.
“It’s not only the government that is doing its job, but also the private sector, who realized that there is problem. On their own, they have also contributed in our efforts,” Calima said.
Mayor Greg Gasataya earlier said the city government wants to approach the flooding problem on a scientific level amid calls for accountability from several sectors.
Gasataya said they have now additional equipment needed for the dredging and clearing of waterways, noting that the last clean up drive operations were conducted in 2016 and 2017. | GB
