Bacolod seeks P250M floodgates, P35M pumps; urgent drainage fixes amid budget crunch

The city government of Bacolod is implementing urgent drainage improvements to prevent future floods caused by monsoon rains, but officials are under pressure with limited budget for long-term infrastructure.

During a special meeting on Monday, Mayor Greg Gasataya and Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez discussed immediate remedies and long-term flood mitigation strategies following the flooding over the weekend that affected more than 5,000 residents in Bacolod and 15,605 persons in Talisay City.

Immediate actions include emergency dredging of the Mandalagan shoreline and Banago River to improve water discharge capacity, but officials acknowledge this is only a temporary solution.

Benitez requested cost estimates from the Department of Public Works and Highways for proposed flood mitigation projects, including the installation of six floodgates across five rivers and reclamation area at an estimated P250 million each and four pumping stations at P35 million each.

With a P4.4-billion annual budget, Bacolod officials are seeking national government funding to implement these critical infrastructure improvements that cannot be funded locally without cutting essential services.