PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is tentatively scheduled to visit Bacolod City on December 5, 2025, for the official launching of “Oplan Kontra Baha,” a program aimed at addressing the city’s flooding problem, Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.
Benitez said the President was initially scheduled to visit on November 28, but the trip was postponed, with the tentative new date set for December 5.
“I will check if he has an earlier available date to visit because we are all ready for the launch of Oplan Kontra Baha, and it’s just a matter of execution,” Benitez said.
He added that the President is expected to assess the situation in the city after several barangays were hit by flooding caused by strong winds and heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Verbena Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
Of the 61 barangays in Bacolod City, 33 were affected, displacing 5,312 families, or 15,875 individuals, while 103 houses were reported destroyed as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26.
Records from the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) showed that the affected areas include Bredco Port and Barangays 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 18, 27, 31, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, Bata, Banago, Mansilingan, Pahanocoy, Taculing, Sum-ag, Cabug, Montevista, Alijis, Singcang-Airport, Mandalagan, Estefania, Villamonte, and Tangub.
On Wednesday, November 26, the City Government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)–Negros Island Region (NIR) launched “Oplan Kontra Baha” at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
The event was attended by Benitez, DPWH Undersecretary Charles Calima Jr., Mayor Greg Gasataya, Vice Mayor Claudio Puentevella, and members of the City Council.
Also present were barangay officials and DPWH personnel participating in efforts to address the city’s flooding problem.
The meeting included an overview of recent flooding and damages, identifying key challenges such as clogged drainage, poor stormwater flow, silted waterways, infrastructure blockages, and poor waste management.
Eunice Ciocon, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer III, said the flooding stemmed from accumulated water draining from the upper municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, worsened by high tide at around 5 a.m. in low-lying Bacolod.
She said water levels rose rapidly within hours after 70 mm of rainfall, equivalent to a week’s worth, fell over the city.
Gasataya noted that Bacolod’s average daily rainfall is 10 millimeters (mm), but between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Tuesday, the city recorded 70.50 mm, excluding runoff from surrounding areas.
The mayor highlighted the city’s proactive measures, including the use of weather and water level monitoring equipment, which significantly aided response efforts during Tropical Depression Verbena.
He also urged the DPWH to fast-track key projects, particularly the completion of the diversion channel along Burgos Street in the reclamation area, calling it a critical factor in the flooding experienced in the reclamation zone and Bredco Port.
Gasataya likewise requested immediate inspections of the damaged flood walls along the Lupit River and in Barangay Singcang-Airport.
“We want to approach this on a scientific level. We now have additional equipment for dredging and clearing waterways, as the last operations were conducted way back in 2016–2017,” Gasataya said.
The mayor also issued a 30-day vacate notice for 80 houses located in Mambuloc Creek’s danger zone, with discussions underway on relocation sites.
“We need to facilitate the relocation process because some residents were previously awarded relocation but still returned to the area,” he added.
River warriors
Meanwhile, Benitez deployed at least 3,000 Tupad Program workers, dubbed “river warriors,” for a 10-day cleanup that began Thursday, November 27, 2025.
The operation aims to remove 2 million cubic meters of waste from rivers and creeks.
Benitez said the cleanup is a short-term solution to flooding, with long-term mitigation plans still being finalized.
The lawmaker also pledged personal support for equipment needs.
“I will personally assist in renting the necessary equipment to expedite the work,” he said.
He also urged barangay captains to establish urgent waste management guidelines. (MAP)