Sagay City orders review of river safety after deaths

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Rafael Cueva of Sagay City has ordered an immediate review of river safety measures and emergency response protocols following the deaths of two Grade 10 students who were swept away by strong currents in the Himogaan River in Barangay Malubon.

The directive was issued Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, after the completion of a three-day joint search, rescue, and retrieval operation conducted from Jan. 9 to 11 and led by the Sagay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, with assistance from multiple government units and volunteer groups.

Authorities said the incident happened Friday, Jan. 9, when 10 students went to the Himogaan River to celebrate a birthday.

The group was caught by a sudden flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall in upstream mountainous areas, a recurring risk in river systems during the rainy season when precipitation upstream can rapidly raise water levels downstream.

Nine of the students managed to reach the riverbank, but two male students, aged 16 and 15, were swept away by the strong current.

The first victim was found Jan. 11 at about 10 a.m. at Fabrica Wharf by members of the Bantay Suba group from Barangay Paraiso.

The second victim was recovered later that night, at around 11 p.m., in Sitio Dukol-Dukol, Barangay Himogaan Baybay, several kilometers downstream from the site of the incident.

Mayor Cueva expressed his deepest sympathy to the bereaved families, saying the city government shares in their grief over the tragic loss of young lives.

He directed the Sagay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, barangay officials, and concerned city offices to strengthen preventive measures, including clearer warning systems, stricter monitoring of river activities, and intensified public information campaigns, especially during the rainy season.

Cueva emphasized the need to improve early-warning coordination between upland and lowland barangays to ensure sudden changes in river conditions are communicated quickly and effectively.

The mayor said the local government will assess existing river access points, signage, and community-based monitoring mechanisms to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the Sagay CDRRMO said the operation tested the physical and emotional endurance of responders, who continued the mission under difficult conditions until all possible efforts were exhausted.

The agency called for public understanding and responsible discourse, noting that emergency responders undergo continuous training and operate under established protocols to save lives in complex and unpredictable situations.

Cueva reaffirmed the city government’s commitment to learning from the incident, supporting first responders, and strengthening disaster preparedness to better protect communities.

He also thanked the Sagay CDRRMO, the Philippine Coast Guard units CGSS and SOG, Bureau of Fire Protection–Sagay, the police, Bantay Suba groups, and the barangay councils of Malubon and Paraiso for their assistance in the search and retrieval operation.