The city government is conducting massive dredging of waterways and declogging drainages to reduce flooding in Bacolod, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, November 3.
Benitez, who held a Task Force Baha meeting, said eleven more flood prone areas in the city were identified during Tropical Storm “Paeng” for a total of 33.
The City Engineer’s Office recommended that aside from the dredging of rivers, declogging of 300 kilometers of drainages need to be undertaken, he said.
Additional drainage work was also discussed, he said.
The City Engineer’s Office will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways to avoid duplication of work, he said.
A temporary shelter for immediate evacuations will also be built, he said.
Benitez said he instructed the Bacolod Housing Authority to start the construction of houses so identified Informal Settler Families, including those in danger zones, can be relocated.
The city government plans to build 10,000 housing units, he reiterated*