Drowning in Disconnect

Iloilo City finds itself increasingly submerged, not just under floodwaters, but under layers of systemic neglect and fractured coordination.

The recent City Council probe into the worsening flood issues unearthed a grim reality: the city’s struggle is a product of years of unaddressed problems, exacerbated by a critical lack of updated data and a baffling disconnect between planning and execution.

Surely, this points to a profound failure of governance and foresight.

A particularly disturbing revelation is the supposed existence of a comprehensive drainage plan crafted years ago by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). This begs the urgent question: Where is this plan? What became of it? If such a blueprint existed even before allegations of anomalies in flood control projects surfaced, its disappearance or non-implementation represents a staggering dereliction of duty. The current scenario screams of a profound lack of coordination, a critical flaw that renders any future mitigation efforts moot without immediate rectification.

The City Council’s hearings exposed the alarming truth that Iloilo City still largely relies on a topographic map from the 1950s for flood risk analysis. In a rapidly urbanizing metropolis, this is akin to navigating with an antique compass in a modern jet.

Darwin Joemil Papa, head of the Quick Response Division of the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, rightly pointed out that existing flood hazard maps, while drawing on elevation and proximity to waterways, fail to capture the full, altered terrain of a city that has undergone decades of intense development.

This “Sinking City” narrative  goes beyond old maps; it speaks of an urban planning crisis. The city’s Drainage Task Force, chaired by Engr. Mavi Gustilo, highlighted how recurring flooding is “largely due to poor inter-agency coordination, weak maintenance of waterways, informal settlements, and unregulated urban development that destroyed natural water channels.” This unbridled growth has reduced the city’s natural water absorption capacity, turning once permeable land into concrete jungles that merely funnel water elsewhere.

Gustilo pointed out how new drainage systems are sometimes constructed with higher invert elevations than existing barangay drains, causing stagnation and clogging – a direct consequence of the absence of crucial data like “existing waterways and invert elevations.” This speaks volumes about the disconnect between national and local flood control efforts, where projects proceed without a holistic understanding of the existing infrastructure.

The “Flood of Neglect” carries a profound human cost. The proliferation of informal settlers along river basins and tributaries, while a complex socio-economic issue, undeniably exacerbates flooding by obstructing water flow, contributing to pollution, and reducing the discharge capacity of rivers.

Gustilo stressed the “need for inter-agency collaboration in clearing informal settlers before construction begins,” highlighting that the most vulnerable populations often bear the brunt of these systemic failures. These communities face not only immediate dangers from floodwaters but also the constant threat of displacement and the erosion of their livelihoods.

Furthermore, the operational deficiencies of existing infrastructure are glaring. Iloilo City’s six pumping stations, vital for flood mitigation, are often delayed in their operations. “Detention tanks are already full before they even get operational,” Gustilo revealed, indicating a severe flaw in their maintenance and response protocols. Add to this the problem of drainage outfalls situated below sea level, leading to backflow during high tide, and you have a recipe for perpetual inundation.

Iloilo City’s flood woes are indeed a “blueprint for bad urban planning” and a stark reminder that years of neglect,fragmented data, and disjointed efforts have caught up to the “City of Love.”

To truly address this crisis, Iloilo needs more than just temporary fixes. It requires an aggressive, transparent, and coordinated effort to unearth that “lost or missing” DPWH plan, update its foundational data with modern mapping technologies, enforce stringent urban development regulations, and ensure that all stakeholders—from national agencies to local barangays and affected communities—are finally working in concert.

Anything less is a disservice to its residents, condemning them to an endless cycle of despair and displacement.