The Bacolod City Engineer's Office already started the demolition of the overflow at the Kabiguan Creek, Purok Mabinuligon, Barangay Sum-ag, which impedes the natural flow of water and causes alleged flooding in several areas of the city, City Engineer's Office head Loben Ceballos said on Wednesday, October 23.
Ceballos said they held a meeting on Tuesday, October 22, with the personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), City Legal Office (CLO), Councilor Psyche Marie Sy, and the representative of the owner of the overflow and it was agreed that they will remove the concrete overflow to give way the natural flow of water in the area.
" We found out that it constricts the flow of water and caused the flood in various areas in Barangay Sum-ag as well as in Barangay Pahanocoy," he said.
He added that Kabiguan Creek is the outfall of the surrounding areas such as the Tomaro and the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway (Banoceh).
On Monday, October 21, at least 111 families in Barangay Sum-ag and at least eight families in Barangay Pahanocoy were evacuated due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
Ceballos said they also agreed to put up a bamboo footbridge in the area that will be installed by the DPWH.
In September 2023, the City Council asked the CLO, CEO, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate the alleged illegal construction of a culvert at Kabiguan Creek, Purok Mabinuligon, Barangay Sum-ag.
Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, who authored a resolution, said they received a letter request from Purok President John Ray Tragico, requesting a copy of the approved subdivision plan for the proposed Jingle Subdivision in Purok Mabinuligon II, Barangay Sum-ag.
In the proposed subdivision, he said there was an alleged illegal construction of a culvert at Kabiguan Creek, which impeded the flow of water. /MAP.