Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Wednesday, August 30, declared a state of calamity in Bacolod City and extended the suspension of classes at all levels until Friday, September 1.
Benitez said the declaration will enable the city government to use its calamity funds to assist Bacolod residents affected by the Typhoon “Goring” induced rains and flooding.
The flooding in Bacolod affected 3,998 families or 12,868 individuals in 33 of the 61 city barangays, a Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) report released Wednesday afternoon showed.
There were 4,446 individuals still in evacuation centers as of Wednesday.
All those affected will be given assistance, Benitez said.
The SP during its regular session Wednesday approved the request of the mayor to declare a state of calamity based on the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BCDRRMC) Resolution No. 018, Series of 2023 recommendation.
The SP also approved BCDRRMC Resolution No. 015, Series of 2023 recommending the realignment of P20,000,000 for food and non-food assistance taken from the city’s Quick Response Fund, and P4 million from the COVID-19 response funds.
CLASSES SUSPENDED
Benitez said he issued an executive order extending the suspension of classes to enable the clearing and cleaning of several schools affected by
the recent heavy rains.
He also noted that several public schools are still being utilized as evacuation centers.
The schools would need appropriate cleanup and maintenance before they could be used by the returning students, Benitez said.
State weather bureau PAGASA has forecasted that another typhoon will be entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday, August 31, necessitating the exercise of prudence and caution as the safety of Bacolodnons is of paramount importance, Benitez added.
RADICAL SOLUTIONS
Benitez, who met with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and other city officials, said the rainfall that hit Bacolod in the last three days was the highest so far at 38 millimeters affecting the entire city.
Radical solutions need to be taken, he said.
The objective of the meeting was to pinpoint the root causes of the flooding and to formulate effective strategies to minimize if not eradicate it in Bacolod City.
Obstructions along rivers and creeks, the accumulation of sediments in waterways originating from upland areas, and the lack of interconnection of inland drainage systems were cited as some of the causes of the recent flooding.
Solutions suggested at the meeting include the construction of flood walls along vulnerable rivers and creeks, dredging of sediment-clogged waterways, interconnecting the existing drainage systems, upgrading the capacity of current drainage infrastructure, and implementing proper management practices to clear obstructions from rivers and creeks.
Benitez also cited the initiative of Delta Works in Netherlands, where a series of pumping stations were installed to control water levels and to ensure that excess water is pumped out to sea to prevent flooding.
SP RESOLUTION
Bacolod Councilor Em Ang said the SP also approved a resolution she authored urging the CEO, DPWH, and DRRMO to immediately study and review the city’s drainage system and flood protection plans and programs, as well as engineering solutions of the city, specifically in barangays that are prone to flooding.
“We have all witnessed that after a couple of days of heavy rainfall, the entire city is suffering from floodwaters which in the observation of this representation is unprecedented. As we speak, there are still barangays submerged in flood water”, she said.
“There is a need for the city government to immediately study and review in order to protect and safeguard the lives of our constituents, property and the environment,” Ang added.*