• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is pushing for a multi-sectoral, data driven approach to address flooding in Bacolod City.
On Oct. 20, Benitez and Mayor Greg Gasataya met with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials led by Undersecretary for Special Concerns Charles Calima to identify both short-term and long-term strategies to prevent similar incidents.
He described the meeting as part of their alignment efforts for the upcoming Bacolod Flood Summit.
In his opening remarks during the pre-summit meeting held at the L’ Fisher Hotel, Benitez said the issue is not merely environmental, but deeply connected to governance, planning, and community participation.
“Flooding is a global crisis, and we must own the solution,” the lawmaker said as he urged all sectors to act with urgency and unity.
During the discussions, agencies and stakeholders identified key problem areas contributing to Bacolod City’s flooding.
These issues will be the focus of detailed deliberation and solution formulation during the upcoming Flood Summit, including siltation and sediment buildup in the major rivers causing reduced water flow, overgrown vegetation along riverbanks, and within existing flood control structures such as dikes, encroachments, and illegal structures within the three-meter easement zones along rivers and creeks.
Other issues include informal settlements located beneath bridges and along waterways, which obstruct drainage systems, as well as weak enforcement of environmental and zoning laws and related local ordinances.
Also noted are the unregulated small-scale quarry operations contributing to soil erosion and river obstruction and lack of updated river profiling and hydrological data necessary for infrastructure design and flood mapping.
In addition are the absence of a unified flood control master plan integrating DPWH and local projects, and the need for continuous information, education, and cleanup campaigns led by barangays and community groups.
Benitez lauded the ongoing efforts of the city government and the barangays for initiating river and drainage clearing operations in partnership with the DPWH.
“Knowing the problem is one thing; doing something about it is another,” he said. “The next step is to act decisively and together, guided by data, discipline, and the spirit of Bayanihan.”
The pre-flood summit concluded with a strong consensus among all agencies and stakeholders to finalize technical studies, policy recommendations, and coordinated response measures for presentation and adoption in the flood summit proper. | GB
