Bacolod mayor presses DPWH on faster completion of flood channel

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Greg Gasataya is calling on the Department of Public Works and Highways and Almana Construction to accelerate work on the diversion channel along Burgos Street in the reclamation area, aiming to make it functional by year-end.

The project is intended to address persistent flooding in the area, particularly during continuous rain, which also leads to traffic congestion.

Key agreements to speed up the project were finalized during a joint meeting at the Bacolod City Government Center on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025.

Gasataya assured that design and equipment issues will be resolved, enabling inlet works to begin simultaneously at Mambuloc Creek on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

He said these works will improve water flow from the creek and nearby drainages during construction, reducing the risk of flooding.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has developed a detailed engineering plan for the coastline outfall, to be implemented by Almana Construction.

The city government has pledged to provide a flap gate and a sluice gate to prevent seawater backflow, especially during high tide.

The equipment has already been ordered and is expected to arrive within three months.

The inlet is scheduled for completion in two months, with the flap and sluice gates to be installed at the outfall as soon as they arrive.

“As for the pumping station and other engineering interventions, these will be handled by the national government,” Gasataya said.

“On our part, the most important thing is to open and operationalize the channel at the soonest possible time because people have long been waiting for this project to be functional.”

He added that the clear timetable eliminates finger-pointing and assures the public that progress is ongoing.

The diversion channel is designed to prevent recurring floods that have long affected residents and businesses in the area.

The project began in 2023 with a budget of PHP152 million.