THE ENVIRONMENTAL Management Bureau’s (EMB) decision to suspend the approval of Certificates of Non-Coverage (CNCs) for flood control projects in Western Visayas, including those in Iloilo City, is a wake-up call. The freeze compels us to confront an uncomfortable truth: development and environmental protection are not always on the same page — and when they clash, the cost can be borne by the very communities such projects claim to protect.
In recent years, Iloilo City has invested heavily in flood mitigation and drainage systems. From widening waterways to constructing multibillion-peso flood control infrastructures, the city has been racing to keep pace with urban expansion and the intensifying effects of climate change. Yet these ambitious projects have not been without controversy. Concerns raised by Mayor Raisa Treñas and former mayor Jerry Treñas — both urging more rigorous scrutiny of CNC issuances — prompts a very serious question: are we building wisely, or simply building quickly?
Flood control is undeniably urgent. Anyone who has lived through the floods that paralyzed major roads and inundated barangays knows how disruptive, costly, and dangerous these events are. But urgency must not override prudence. A flood project that disregards hydrological science, underestimates ecological impact, or bypasses proper vetting may not solve the problem — it may create new ones. Blocking a waterway in one area, for instance, could worsen flooding elsewhere. Neglecting ecosystem health could compromise natural buffers like mangroves and rivers, which serve as nature’s first line of defense.
This is why the EMB’s suspension matters. It signals that shortcuts — like blanket exemptions under outdated rules — are no longer acceptable. Projects worth billions cannot be greenlit without thoroughly weighing their environmental costs. After all, what good is a drainage system that inadvertently damages the very rivers it is meant to protect? What kind of “development” leaves behind communities more vulnerable rather than safer?
Infrastructure without foresight can backfire. We have seen grand projects touted as solutions, only to be questioned later for engineering flaws, ecological risks, or corruption-tainted implementation. With Congress now investigating alleged anomalies in flood control spending, public trust is already fragile. Ensuring that projects pass rigorous environmental checks is not red tape — it is accountability.
The challenge, therefore, is balance. Iloilo must continue to push forward with development to protect its people and sustain its growth. But it must do so responsibly, with science as the guide and the environment as a partner, not a casualty. Floodwaters will not wait, but neither should we rush headlong into solutions that may drown us in unintended consequences.
Development at the expense of the environment is not progress. It is a costly gamble — and Iloilo cannot afford to lose.
