ILOILO City — The month-long dredging and clearing of the Jaro River significantly improved floodwater drainage in La Paz district during the recent onslaught of the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Inday, with city officials saying the proactive cleanup prevented prolonged flooding in several communities.
The Iloilo City Government credited its 31-day Oplan Kontra Baha river rehabilitation campaign for the rapid recession of floodwaters in flood-prone areas of La Paz, saying the operation restored the Jaro River’s capacity to efficiently carry runoff during days of heavy rainfall.
General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Neil Ravena said the cleanup drive, conducted along the Jaro River across seven barangays in La Paz through the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) TUPAD program, removed accumulated silt, vegetation and debris that had long restricted the river’s flow.
“We clearly saw the strong flow of water towards Ticud and Ingore, and the river’s water flow was much better. I think that is the reason why there was no prolonged ponding and why our drainage systems, especially in the Jaro and La Paz areas, discharged water more quickly,” Ravena said.
He said the faster-than-expected recession of floodwaters demonstrated the effectiveness of clearing the river channel even before continuous monsoon rains began.
“The quick recession of floodwaters in La Paz showed that our clearing operations along the Jaro River were effective. We started from the river outfall because that is where the water exits, and that made a significant difference,” he added.
Ravena said the city expects even better flood mitigation once cleanup operations are expanded to upstream portions of the Jaro River traversing Jaro District.
“We still have more sections of the river to clear. Once we reach the upstream areas, we expect the drainage system to become even more efficient during heavy rains,” he said.
To further strengthen flood control efforts, the city also plans to install additional waste traps in every barangay to prevent garbage from clogging waterways and drainage systems.
Ravena said barangay officials will be responsible for cleaning the waste traps daily, enabling the city to identify communities where large volumes of solid waste are entering rivers and creeks.
Two waste traps have already been installed in Barangays Ticud and Banuyao in La Paz.
The city government hopes that sustained river clearing, regular declogging operations, and improved solid waste management will help minimize flooding in vulnerable communities, particularly during periods of intense rainfall./PN
