• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor Benjie Miranda wants Kabankalan in Negros Occidental to be a flood free city in the near future.
Flooding has been a perennial problem in Kabankalan City for several decades now, whenever there is a low pressure area or typhoon, according to Miranda, who organized the Kabankalan Kontra Baha Task Force (KKB TF).
It is high time to address the problem, he stressed, noting that some investors are hesitant to invest in Kabankalan City because of the decade-old problem, which he claims has not been addressed.
In January last year, Miranda reported that the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Kabankalan approved a resolution authorizing him to initiate the sourcing of funds to address the flood problem.
An amount of P2 billion was proposed to be allocated to jump start the project, which was mentioned during the KKB TF briefing on Monday, held at a resort in Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City.
Miranda, who attended the briefing, said he will also seek the help of the national government.
Two years ago, flooding in Kabankalan City caused P2.6 billion in damage to agriculture, infrastructure, and local businesses, according to the KKB TF.
It was blamed on the overflow of the Ilog HIlabangan River, heavy rainfall, poor drainage systems, deforestation and land use changes, urbanization, the topography of Kabankalan City, climate change and blockages in water ways.
Twenty five of the 32 barangays of Kabankalan City were affected by flooding caused by super typhoon Odette on December 16, 2021.*
