‘NO TO BAND-AID FIXES’: Systems thinking needed to solve Iloilo City flooding — CDRRMO

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The persistent flooding in several Iloilo City barangays requires a systems thinking approach to understand the complex interplay of factors contributing to the problem, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

CDRRMO head Donna Magno emphasized that addressing the city’s flooding issue demands a holistic view that considers how infrastructure, land use, and community development affect one another.

“When we plan for our projects, we should have systems thinking,” Magno told Daily Guardian on Tuesday, July 15.

“We should look at the interconnectedness of these problems so that when you come up with solutions, you can factor in the sectors that are affected by these programs.”

Magno added that the City Planning and Development Coordinator is pushing for a drainage master plan to provide a comprehensive view of Iloilo City’s drainage and flood control system.

She emphasized that the city is a floodplain, making it inherently vulnerable to inundation during heavy rainfall.

This vulnerability, she said, partly explains the recent flooding in barangays Balantang, Buntatala, Camalig, Tagbak, and Lanit in the Jaro district—some of which reportedly experienced flooding for the first time.

Apart from the area’s low elevation, Magno said ongoing development in the affected barangays may have contributed to the worsening flood risks.

“When we flew a drone and interviewed residents, we discovered that developments in the area can contribute,” she said.

“Every time there are changes in variables, like new infrastructure or migration, vulnerabilities also increase,” she added.

TREÑAS, BARONDA TRADE BARBS

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas and Lone District Rep. Julienne “Jam” Baronda have exchanged public criticisms over who is responsible for the flooding in five Jaro barangays.

In a press conference Monday, July 15, Treñas pointed to Baronda’s drainage and flood control project as a possible cause of the flooding.

“The Department of Public Works and Highways, through the lone district office, has a project in the area,” Treñas said.

“Because of that project, it caused flooding. Others might say that we are politicizing this, but we are not. What we want is the best for our residents.”

Officials from the five affected barangays met with Treñas Monday afternoon to discuss the situation.

In response, Baronda defended her efforts and criticized the mayor for allegedly lacking awareness of the issue.

Baronda explained that a drainage repair project under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO), located at the intersection of E. Lopez and Jalandoni Streets in Jaro district, was originally scheduled to start on February 26, 2024, and finish last January 27, 2025.

Work commenced in September, and the remaining tasks, which include over 240 meters of water carriage drainage systems, have now pushed the completion date to July 29. However, the contractor has requested an extension due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The lawmaker pointed out that the project had been suspended when it was supposed to start in February 2024 due to a lack of local government clearance.

“[This means] that [for] February, March, April, May, June, July, August, [and] September [2024], the project stopped for almost seven months. Someone is saying that it was being ignored,” Baronda told a radio station.

“If there are problems, if agencies like the DPWH are lacking, in projects that are free [for the city], and not indebted, if we were the local government, we should embrace the projects […] because these create impact and provide solutions to problems,” she added.

She said that the city government should stop “washing hands” and “pointing fingers” and instead collaborate to fast-track projects intended to solve persisting problems.

“Let us be fair, we cannot just wash our hands. The national government [and] the local government should unite as one to make sure that we an provide solutions for the city’s problems. This is not the time to point fingers. This is the time for us to help each other,” she said.

She said the project was initiated in response to long-standing calls from residents to address flooding that has plagued the area for years.

“This is so sad,” Baronda said in an interview with Bombo Radyo Iloilo on Tuesday.

“The mayor is not aware that the area has been affected by flooding for several years already. I pity her. Our project, which is meant to respond to the needs of residents, is now being accused as the reason.”

Baronda said her office is working with the DPWH on three major projects to mitigate flooding, including the construction of an outfall to help drain excess water.

“For so many years, there was no outfall there,” she said.

“It’s better to understand the story and the history before pointing fingers.”

Treñas was scheduled to meet with DPWH officials Tuesday to discuss the flooding issue, but the meeting was postponed due to scheduling conflicts.

A new date has yet to be confirmed.