Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda inspected flood-hit areas in Jaro and Mandurriao with engineers from the Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO) to look into the causes of recurring flooding.

Baronda and the engineers checked drainage systems, canals and ongoing flood mitigation projects in the affected areas.

She said the inspection identified several factors behind the flooding, including differences in elevation, water discharged from an NIA irrigation canal that affects nearby communities, and the lack of detention or retention facilities where excess rainwater can temporarily be stored.

“These insights give us a clearer path forward. We are not just assessing the problem; we are actively pursuing solutions,” Baronda said.

The inspection also brought the group to Tagbak, where they checked a creek that had been widened from 1.5 meters to 3 meters through an ICDEO project.

Baronda said the creek could still be widened to 6 to 7 meters once the necessary permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is secured.

She said she had asked the DENR to help follow up the permit needed for the cutting of trees to allow the creek widening.
The ICDEO will also address vegetation and siltation in the creek, Baronda said.

She also said she had spoken with the NIA administrator regarding the irrigation canal and thanked the agency for funding the irrigation-related project.

According to Baronda, the proposed new DPWH feasibility study would help provide a more holistic plan for flooding in the entire city.

The study would update the 1995 JICA feasibility study and the 2017 DPWH feasibility study.

Baronda said P50 million was provided for the study last year, while an additional P102 million has been included in the National Expenditure Program for the following year.

“Our people deserve more than temporary fixes. We are committed to science-based planning, strong inter-agency coordination, and long-term flood management strategies to protect our neighborhoods from flooding,” she said.

The inspection was conducted with DILG Undersecretary Jed Patrick Mabilog.IMT