Distrito urges urgent flood response in Bacolod City

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Councilor Atty. Caesar Z. Distrito is calling for swift and decisive action from both local and national government agencies after unprecedented flooding submerged parts of Bacolod City following the successive onslaught of Typhoon Tino, Typhoon Uwan, and Typhoon Verbena.

In a privilege speech, Distrito described the flood disaster as “alarming and life-threatening,” citing severe impacts on communities along the Magsungay, Lupit, Banago, and Mandalagan rivers, as well as several low-lying coastal barangays.

He recalled that in Purok Mars, Barangay Singcang, families were forced to climb onto rooftops as neck-deep water inundated their homes.

Distrito expressed gratitude to Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), City Engineer’s Office, Department of Education (DepEd), barangay officials, volunteers, and civic organizations for their swift emergency response.

He also thanked Rep. Albee Benitez for providing timely advisories and relief assistance and welcomed the city’s plan to deploy a dredger to restore river depth and help prevent future overflows.

Distrito called on the City Engineer’s Office to expedite repairs on the Magsungay–Barangay 35 footbridge and fast-track drainage works from JR Torres Subdivision to Zone 4 Calong-Calong.

He urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately fix damaged floodwalls in Purok Mars, Purok Tahong, Purok Kabulakan 1, and other flood-prone areas, warning that these breaches pose serious risks during intense rainfall.

Raising concerns about relief distribution, Distrito said many evacuees were left without ready-to-eat meals because their cooking pots and utensils had been washed away.

He appealed to the DSWD to preposition more food packs and ensure timely, non-selective distribution to all verified affected families.

Citing Barangay Singcang, he pointed out that only 1,200 food packs were delivered despite 5,800 households being affected.

“We appeal to the DSWD to provide food packs to all flood victims, as reported by the DSSD,” he emphasized.

Distrito also criticized the Social Security System (SSS) for excluding Bacolod City and the entire Negros Island Region from its calamity loan program.

He called the exclusion “illegal and unacceptable,” noting that the city had declared a state of calamity and the national government had issued Proclamation 1077 placing the Philippines under a nationwide state of calamity.

He further recommended a wider distribution of anti-leptospirosis drugs like doxycycline, especially in affected communities.

As long-term solutions, Distrito proposed five policy measures: the Bacolod City Evacuation Centers Management System, a Bacolod River Restoration and Reforestation Program, a Permanent Emergency Food Stockpile, Mandatory Barangay Climate Resilience Plans, and strengthened Drainage and Flood Mitigation Ordinances.

He said these initiatives complement the Flood Summit led by Rep. Benitez and the rollout of OPLAN Kontra Baha.

Distrito recommended expanding the program to include large-scale clearing of mud and debris from major thoroughfares.

He acknowledged the city’s ongoing flushing operations along Araneta Street and expressed hope that similar efforts would extend to other heavily affected zones.