• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Another 3,000 “river warriors” are to be tapped in the clearing and declogging of Bacolod waterways, which will last four to six months, Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez disclosed on Friday.
Aside from additional manpower, Benitez said they will also add heavy equipment for use in the clearing of Bacolod City creeks and rivers, to reach their target of cleaning the nine waterways.
After it was launched five days ago, he said they were able to accomplish 21 percent of their target to unclog rivers, creeks and other waterways in Bacolod City, which is equivalent to 6,000 to 7,000 tons of waste.
About two million cubic meters of waste from rivers and creeks are targeted to be removed in the ongoing major clearing operations, under the Oplan Kontra Baha program of the local government unit.
The recent widespread flooding in Bacolod City was blamed on waste and branches of trees that clogged waterways, due to Typhoons Tino and Verbena, with debris estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 tons.
For us to reach our target, we will have a round two of clearing and declogging operations, employing 3,000 more river warriors by January next year, Benitez said.
An initial 3,000 Bacolod residents, referred to as “river warriors,” were mobilized for a 10-day massive clearing and declogging operations in Bacolod City’s waterways.
They are beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
In a dialog with barangay captains, Benitez said the 3,000 “river warriors” will be used as spokespersons, to discourage those individuals throwing their waste in waterways.
The solon said the cleanup drive should be done on a regular basis, not only after flooding.
The Oplan Kontra Baha also involves the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Social Welfare and Development as well as Transportation.
Under the Oplan Kontra Baha operational plan, the length of drainage systems along national and local road in Bacolod reported at 138.271 kilometers, with 30,785 cubic meters of waste, while the nine rivers, creeks and esteros have a length of 169.447 kilometers and is filled waste estimated at 2,175,323 cubic meters.
They also need 200 units of equipment for dredging and hauling of waste from waterways.
Benitez said they are now soliciting proposals from the private sector, and many others, who have ideas or proposals, to solve the flooding problem.
The second flood summit meeting in Bacolod City is slated on December 10.
DPWH Undersecretary Charles Calima said that most of the heavy equipment used in declogging operations came from the private sector.
“It’s not only the government that is doing its job, but also the private sector, who realized that there is a problem. On their own, they have also contributed to our efforts,” Calima said.
He lauded Rep. Benitez for tapping TUPAD beneficiaries in the massive cleanup drive.
Calima said he will be asking military reservists, including from the Coast Guard, to help the cleanup drive during weekends.
Mayor Greg Gasataya earlier said that the Bacolod city government wants to approach the flooding problem on a scientific level amid calls for accountability from several sectors.
Gasataya said they now have additional equipment needed for the dredging and clearing of waterways, noting that the last cleanup operations were conducted in 2016 and 2017.*
