BACOLOD City – Local and national officials have identified a temporarily closed diversion channel as a major cause of the flooding that inundated several parts of Bacolod City during heavy rains on Tuesday, July 28, prompting immediate action to reopen the waterway and restore drainage.
Bacolod Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said an inspection of flooded areas along Burgos Street and the vicinity of SM City Bacolod revealed that a diversion channel had been closed, preventing the proper flow of stormwater.
“We found that a diversion channel had been closed, preventing proper drainage. After we immediately coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the channel was opened, allowing floodwaters to recede much faster,” Benitez said.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said personnel from the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) dismantled a fence blocking access to the diversion channel’s valve, enabling the reopening of the sluice gate that discharges water into the sea.
He added that the pumping station, which is under the DPWH Regional Office, had been temporarily shut down.
City Engineer Loben Ceballos explained that the restricted discharge of water toward the sea caused drainage systems connected to the diversion channel to become overwhelmed during the intense downpour.
Among the areas affected were Mambuloc Creek, the Reclamation Area, Plaza Area, Burgos Street, and Ferrer Street, all of which depend on the diversion channel to drain stormwater.
Following the assessment, Gasataya directed the CEO to closely coordinate with the DPWH to address the problem and prevent similar incidents as the rainy season continues.
The flooding occurred after a thunderstorm dumped an estimated 27 millimeters of rain over Bacolod between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on July 28.
Floodwaters submerged several major roads, including Burgos Street and the area around SM City Bacolod. Water reached about one foot deep at the intersections of Magsaysay-Corazon, Lacson-Hernaez, Lacson-Magsaysay, and Mabini-Hernaez streets.
Flooding was also reported in Barangay 12, Bacolod South Road, and the Bacolod-San Carlos Road.
Officials said other roads experienced only temporary surface runoff, with water receding shortly after the rain stopped. In low-lying areas, localized flooding subsided within 30 minutes to one hour after drainage resumed.
Benitez said the incident highlighted the need for a long-term flood management system instead of relying solely on emergency measures.
He proposed installing an automated heavy-duty axial pumping station to enhance drainage capacity and speed up the discharge of floodwaters during periods of heavy rainfall.
“We remain committed to building a safer, more flood-resilient Super City because every problem deserves a solution, and every Bacolodnon deserves better,” he said.
Meanwhile, the city has intensified its flood mitigation efforts.
On July 30, the CEO deployed a mini-amphibious excavator to Cabalagnan Creek in Barangay Pahanocoy to accelerate desilting and vegetation clearing operations ordered by the mayor.
The city had earlier launched desilting operations on July 23 using a long-arm excavator to improve water flow in waterways serving Barangays Tangub and Pahanocoy.
City officials said more than 1,000 tons of silt and debris have already been removed from Cabalagnan Creek during the first five days of operations, with clearing activities continuing to improve drainage capacity and reduce flooding in nearby communities./PN
