Bacolod City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), plans to install floodgates in five major rivers in Bacolod City as a flood mitigation strategy.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez revealed on Tuesday that the DPWH’s program of works estimates the project’s cost at PHP500 million. The proposed floodgates, accompanied by pumping stations, are intended for the Banago River, Mandalagan River, Lupit River, Magsungay River, and Sum-ag River. These floodgates serve as barriers to control or regulate water flow, crucial for preventing flood overflows.
The mayor met with Yutaka Kokufu, chief of the Manila Representative Office of Pacific Consultants Co. Ltd., appointed by JICA for a study on flood mitigation. The consultation aims to identify effective flood control solutions, particularly managing river outlets in the city.
The project implementation is targeted for next year, pending budget approval by Congress’s bicameral conference committee. This development follows the August flooding caused by monsoon rains enhanced by Typhoon Goring, which impacted 33 of the city’s 61 barangays, displaced nearly 10,000 residents, and led to the declaration of a state of calamity.