In the wake of massive flooding that submerged 68 barangays, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas has issued a temporary cease and desist order (CDO) on all ongoing waterway projects of the City District Engineering Office (CDEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The mayor’s move aims to prevent further harm and economic disruption, particularly in flood-prone areas in the city like Lanit, Tagbak, Buntatala, Balantang, Camalig, and Mohon, which were heavily affected by recent downpours.
Treñas said the CDEO failed to coordinate or consult with the city government prior to implementing projects—a clear violation of DPWH Department Order No. 110, series of 2015.
“The slope protection, bike lane, and access road projects were carried out without proper engagement with us,” Treñas said. “Worse, these projects led to flooding, property damage, and even deaths.”
The mayor revealed that Oton Mayor Sofronio Fusin also raised similar concerns after flooding worsened in six barangays of Oton when the construction of the esplanade in Barangay Mohon, Molo began. This prompted Oton’s local government to issue its own cease and desist order.
“We cannot ignore these facts. Flooding in Iloilo City and its neighboring town of Oton has reached a critical point,” Treñas emphasized.
She pointed to specific CDEO projects that reclaimed or narrowed major waterways and creeks—including Buntatala, Dungon, Calubihan/Desamparados, and even the mouth of the Iloilo River in Mohon—as having altered natural water flow.
“These creeks should act as catch basins, not be replaced by concrete paths that block drainage,” she stressed.
In response to mounting concern, the DPWH-6 has agreed to inspect the projects in question.
Treñas welcomed the move and called on DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Regional Director Joel Limpengco to ensure transparency, urgency, and objectivity in the investigation.
“As Mayor, I am bound by law and by conscience to protect our city and its people,” she said. “This cease and desist order will stay in effect until a full, scientific, and independent study proves these waterway projects will not endanger lives or worsen flooding aggravated by climate change.”
Treñas invoked the memory of a 13-year-old child who drowned in Buntatala Creek, saying the tragedy underscores the urgency of the city’s action.
“We owe it to the victims of this negligence to act decisively and responsibly,” she said.
She also thanked Secretary Bonoan for his swift response and support in halting the ICDEO projects, and disclosed that the DPWH Secretary has agreed to issue directives instructing DPWH-6 officials to suspend any ongoing project implemented without proper coordination with the city.
DPWH-6 Director Joel Limpengco will also be tasked to turn over all relevant project documents to the technical experts who will lead the study, ensuring that future decisions are based on accurate and science-backed information.
“Development should not come at the cost of lives and homes,” Treñas concluded. “No progress is worth the life of even one child.”IMT
