Marcos, Dizon to inspect Bacolod flood operations

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon are set to arrive today, Friday (December 12, 2025), to inspect the recently concluded Oplan Kontra Baha clearing operations across Bacolod City.

Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez confirmed the visit on Wednesday and said he will present to the President the outcomes of the Second Bacolod Flood Mitigation Summit held at Sugarland Hotel, where officials refined short-, medium-, and long-term interventions toward completing a comprehensive Flood Mitigation Masterplan.

Benitez described the masterplan as “a blueprint for the next decade, not just the next storm,” noting that it will include a full drainage inventory, strict waste enforcement, relocation of families living in danger zones, systematic dredging, construction of catch basins, widening of river channels, mangrove rehabilitation, and rainwater harvesting initiatives.

He emphasized that ending Bacolod’s flooding problem is “not a choice, but a necessity” for a rapidly growing city.

Speaking before government agencies, civil society groups, engineers, and barangay leaders, Benitez said Bacolod must proactively confront long-standing issues such as clogged waterways, insufficient drainage, poor waste management, and informal settlements along rivers.

“We are here because we love our city,” Benitez said. “Flooding has affected our homes, our businesses, our roads, our health, and our confidence as a community. Today is about building a future where flooding does not define Bacolod.”

Benitez reiterated that the goal of the summit is to finalize a Flood Mitigation Masterplan outlining comprehensive interventions across all timelines.

Short-term actions include clearing operations, strict waste enforcement, drainage inventory, and zoning implementation.

Medium-term measures include constructing ramps for heavy equipment, relocating at-risk households, and undertaking systematic dredging.

Long-term solutions include building catch basins, widening river channels, conducting hydrology studies, and implementing modern drainage systems and large-scale engineering projects.

Environmental approaches such as mangrove rehabilitation and rainwater harvesting, alongside private-sector compliance with rainwater catchment requirements, will also form part of the plan.

Benitez acknowledged the ongoing DPWH-led desilting and clearing operations under Oplan Kontra Baha, noting that steady, disciplined work is already making visible progress.

“Our rivers cannot remain clogged for years and then be cleaned for one day,” he said. “We need consistent work, and this is the start of that discipline.”

“Solving Bacolod’s long-standing flooding problem is not a choice — it is a necessity for a growing, thriving, and forward-looking city,” he added. “If we want Bacolod to reach its full potential, we need to confront the problems that hold us back.”

Ahead of President Marcos’ visit, Benitez reported that the 3,000-strong River Warriors deployed under the DOLE TUPAD program have already completed 34 percent of their target clearing operations after their initial 10-day assignment.

The River Warriors carried out extensive cleaning and declogging of waterways in 10 working days, forming the frontlines of Oplan Kontra Baha.

Benitez said the initiative is a short-term but crucial step in addressing the city’s chronic flooding, adding that clearing operations alone can resolve up to 50 percent of Bacolod’s flood issues.

He said the River Warriors will continue to be mobilized next year as needed.

During his Bacolod visit, President Marcos is also scheduled to inspect the Banago Port development project.