THE Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) enforcement team, along with the City Engineer's Office (CEO), removed an illegal structure obstructing a drainage outfall at Artemis Salt Corporation in Barangay Banago on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The operation was led by the CLO and CEO, along with Mayor Greg Gasataya, Councilor Homer Bais, personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO).
City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said they removed the structure, which measured approximately one meter long and 0.06 meters tall.
He said that on July 26, 2025, they served an abatement and removal order to Artemis Salt Corporation in Barangay Banago.
The firm was given 72 hours by the CLO to remove the illegal structure obstructing the drainage outfall, but it failed to comply.
Gasataya earlier inspected the area and cited the structure’s contribution to flooding in Sta. Clara Subdivision and nearby areas.
He found that the firm had partially obstructed the drainage system by constructing a wall intended to prevent seawater intrusion, and had also failed to secure a fencing permit.
Gasataya said they needed to remove that portion of the wall to clear the drainage system and prevent clogging, especially during the rainy season.
He said several drainage lines outside the facility were clogged, and he ordered the CEO to trace the causes of obstruction and restore full drainage flow.
Moreover, Engr. Loben Ceballos, officer-in-charge of CEO, said they will continue the clearing and declogging operations in Barangay Banago.
“We need to remove the debris to help ease flooding in nearby communities,” Ceballos said.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Building Official (OBO) also issued a Notice of Suspension against the construction of a salt storage warehouse of Artemis Salt Corporation.
OBO head Engr. Amy Tentia said Artemis Salt Corporation has secured a building permit, but it failed to comply with Presidential Decree 1096, or the National Building Code of the Philippines, citing errors in the submitted plans and specifications, particularly in establishing the required easement.
She said the firm provided inaccurate and incorrect data, adding that they were given three days to respond. (MAP)