Floods: Nature’s Fury and Our Choices

Iloilo City once again finds itself grappling with the perennial problem of urban flooding, and this time, the spotlight is firmly fixed on the Buntatala Creek project. Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu’s stern consideration of demolition or a cease and desist order against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) road and slope protection project underscores a critical juncture for urban development and environmental stewardship in the city.

While the mayor’s resolve to address the tragic death of a 13-year-old boy and the widespread flooding is commendable, a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the situation is essential to move beyond immediate reactions and toward sustainable solutions.

The core of Mayor Treñas-Chu’s concern revolves around the project’s adherence to DPWH standards for minimum meter clearance in the creek, asserting that disrupting natural water flow inevitably leads to flooding. Her statement, “Nature will always find its way to flow… If the flow of nature is ruined, we will have flooding. We should be accountable for our actions. We should follow the laws. And I believe that no one should be above the law,” resonates deeply with a public tired of recurring inundations.

Indeed, any infrastructure project, especially one impacting a natural waterway, must rigorously adhere to environmental and engineering standards to prevent exacerbating existing problems. The onus is on the implementing agency to transparently demonstrate such compliance.

However, the DPWH-Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO) has offered a counter-narrative, asserting that the Iloilo City Access Road Section 1 (Bike Lane) project is not the primary cause of the recent flooding. Their July 18 memorandum, supported by site visits, points to significant vegetation overgrowth and accumulated garbage in downstream sections of Buntatala Creek—areas outside the project’s scope—as major culprits.

They argue that these blockages, along with continuous siltation and indiscriminate waste disposal, have narrowed the creek’s effective flow channel, leading to backwater flooding in nearby residences. Furthermore, the observation of “unusual water behavior,” with overflow even during dry weather, suggests deeper, systemic issues beyond a single construction project.

This brings us to a crucial point: attributing blame to a single entity or project oversimplifies a complex urban problem. Iloilo City, being largely below sea level, is inherently flood-prone. This geographical reality, coupled with decades of rapid urbanization, demands a holistic approach to flood control rather than a piecemeal one.

While past administrations, including former Mayor Jerry Treñas (father of Mayor Treñas-Chu), may have promised “comprehensive flood control programs,” the reality is that such initiatives require monumental budgets and sustained political will. The absence of a widely publicized, comprehensive flood control master plan, if it exists, is a significant oversight that leaves the public in the dark and opens the door to speculative blame.

It is unproductive to view this through a lens of political affiliations or past promises. What is needed now is a collaborative, evidence-based approach. The DPWH’s claim that the project site itself has “demonstrated improved flow capacity and has not experienced flooding” warrants objective, independent verification. If true, it highlights the critical need to extend similar rehabilitation efforts to the neglected downstream sections of the creek.

The focus must shift from a blame game to identifying and implementing genuine solutions. This includes:

• Integrated Drainage Master Plan: A publicly accessible, comprehensive flood control and drainage master plan for Iloilo City is long overdue. This plan should integrate all existing and future infrastructure projects, consider the city’s unique topography, and incorporate climate change projections.
• Aggressive Desiltation and Waste Management: The DPWH’s observations regarding vegetation and garbage blocking the creek are a stark reminder of the city’s ongoing struggle with waste management and environmental upkeep. Regular and sustained desiltation and community-wide efforts to prevent indiscriminate waste disposal are paramount.
• Review of Urban Planning and Development: The transformation of natural flood plains, such as the area where Prime Estates now stands, into densely built environments, significantly alters natural water flow. Future urban planning must prioritize the preservation and restoration of natural water absorption areas.
• Inter-agency Cooperation and Transparency: The current situation underscores the need for seamless coordination between the city government, DPWH, and other relevant agencies. All data, studies, and project plans should be made transparently available to the public.

Mayor Treñas-Chu’s concern is legitimate, especially in the wake of a tragic loss of life. However, solving Iloilo City’s flood problem requires more than just stopping a project. It demands a firm but fair assessment of all contributing factors, a commitment to sustained environmental rehabilitation, and an unwavering dedication to implementing a truly comprehensive, long-term flood control strategy that transcends political cycles and narrow interests.

The “flow of nature” will indeed find its way, and it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that its path does not bring further devastation to the lives and livelihoods of Iloilo City’s residents.