Town seeks urgent dredging of Kanlaon-silted creek

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The La Castellana Incident Management Team in Negros Occidental is urgently appealing to national agencies for the immediate removal of volcanic debris from creeks in Barangay Biak na Bato due to heightened flood risks this rainy season.

Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head John De Asis said in a phone interview Tuesday that Bagacay Creek and Tamburong Creek — both connected to the Biak na Bato bridge — are now clogged with hardened lahar from the Kanlaon Volcano eruptions in June 2024 and May 2025.

These creeks directly connect to the volcano’s crater, and any overflow threatens not only Barangay Biak na Bato but also rivers in the neighboring towns of Moises Padilla and Binalbagan.

De Asis recalled that during Typhoon Crising last month, the mudflow hardened, reducing the creek depth from six meters to just two to three meters — posing a serious flood hazard.

Around nine to 10 households near the affected area have already been advised to evacuate to the barangay hall during heavy rains for safety.

However, since the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park, De Asis emphasized that official clearance is required before any debris removal or dredging can begin.

The municipal IMT recently reported that both creeks had already overflowed, causing severe flooding in nearby residential zones.

The team called on the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Protected Area Management Board to take swift and decisive action.

“Swift, coordinated action is critical,” the IMT said.

“Both immediate emergency response and long-term solutions are needed — including clearing the waterways and addressing the underlying environmental issues.”

The IMT warned that Bagacay and Tamburong creeks are now in a critical state.

Once natural discharge channels for Mount Kanlaon, these waterways are now heavily silted and dangerously narrowed.

With continuous rains, they are at high risk of channeling powerful water currents carrying stones, boulders and volcanic debris, the IMT said.

Combined, this surge of water and debris could destroy concrete structures, sweep away houses and threaten lives in the communities between the two creeks.

It stressed that overflow is no longer a distant threat but an imminent danger that could strike with any sustained rainfall.

“Sir RED Charlie Fabre, the creeks must be dredged and declogged without further delay,” the IMT said in its appeal.

“Every day of inaction increases the risk of catastrophic flooding and loss of lives.”

“This is not just a matter of prevention but a matter of survival. We are running out of time. The community of Barangay Biak na Bato is united in its plea: act now before disaster strikes.”

In response, the Protected Area Management Board en banc — chaired by DENR–Negros Island Region Officer-in-Charge Regional Executive Director Charlie Fabre — passed Resolution No. 17, requesting the DENR secretary’s approval to allow dredging of the creeks without hauling or transporting the removed materials.

Resolution No. 18, however, prohibits any dredging or debris removal by local government units or barangays without prior approval, reinforcing that all activities must follow environmental regulations.

Fabre warned that unauthorized dredging could lead to legal sanctions, citing past violations in Bohol and Cebu.