[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Can P32-M drainage solve Bacolod flooding? ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
BACOLOD City – Drainage systems in this city may soon be replaced, Rep. Greg Gasataya said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office is coming up with a “comprehensive master plan” for drainage systems that is hoped to solve the perennial flooding here.
Gasataya said Public Works officials informed him they were scheduled to have a meeting on the plan but did not say when.
The master plan is estimated to cost P32 million, said the congressman.
Gasataya said the DPWH will fund the creation of the plan, which will cover all national and local roads here.
Several streets across Bacolod get inundated every time it rains.
A “scientific approach” in addressing this bodes well for the city, the congressman said.
Ultimately the master plan will lead to the creation of more efficient drainage systems, said Gasataya.
The DPWH hopes to contract a company that will help create the master plan by the end of the year, he said.
On the first week of July southwest monsoon intensified by typhoon “Butchoy” brought rains that flooded several low-lying areas here. Clogged drainage systems and small canals were blamed.
Drainage systems lacked maintenance; clogged ones prevent water from continuously flowing during heavy rains and making its way to low-lying streets, Joemarie Vargas, an executive assistant to Mayor Evelio Leonardia, then said.
“We need an engineering intervention,” City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Aaron Bais then said.
Floods were mainly triggered by the “slow outflow” of water due to small canals, said Bais. “Some drainage systems could not cope with the inflow of water.”
Further flooding on the last week of August prompted Leonardia to gather the city government’s engineers.
Coupled by high tide, the rains quickly resulted in flooding on Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan; barangays Taculing, Sum-ag and Pahanocoy; and Araneta-Magsaysay road in Barangay Singcang./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
