ILOILO City – The city government is moving to identify encroachments and reclaim protected easements along the Jaro River as part of a P13-million initiative aimed at addressing persistent flooding through river rehabilitation and a comprehensive drainage master plan.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said the city has allocated P6.03 million for a cadastral survey of the Jaro River and P7 million for a drainage master plan, two projects intended to provide scientific and technical bases for long-term flood control measures.
The river survey will cover the entire waterway from the Pavia, Iloilo boundary to its mouth at the Iloilo Strait, establishing its exact boundaries, identifying encroachments and determining legal easements that must be protected.
Treñas identified siltation and structures along the riverbanks as contributing factors to flooding, noting that these have narrowed portions of the waterway and restricted water flow.
“The Jaro River survey is important because we need to establish the actual boundaries of the river and determine which areas have encroachments. We also need to identify the easements that must be protected as part of our flood mitigation and river rehabilitation efforts,” she said.
The mayor has sought the assistance of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 regional executive director Ramar Niel Pascua to expedite the survey, which had been stalled for several years because of funding constraints.
The city initially committed P3 million, with the balance expected from the national government. However, Treñas said she directed her team to secure full city funding to prevent further delays.
Under the agreement, the DENR will procure technical survey services and provide the city with survey maps and a technical report.
The findings will guide river rehabilitation, flood mitigation projects and the possible relocation of affected families.
Meanwhile, the proposed drainage master plan will build on a completed hydrologic study conducted by experts and scientists examining Iloilo City’s topography, water movement and potential causes of flooding.
“We need accurate data to understand how water moves through the city and identify the areas that contribute to flooding. The results of the hydrologic study will guide us in preparing a comprehensive drainage master plan,” Treñas said.
While preparing the long-term projects, the city government has continued drainage declogging operations covering more than 18 kilometers across Iloilo City.
“We cannot wait for the long-term projects before addressing the flooding problem. Our immediate and medium-term interventions must continue while we work on more permanent solutions,” Treñas said./PN