Unfinished Projects Fuel Flooding in Jaro District

Unfinished Projects Trigger Flooding in Jaro

ILOILO CITY — Unfinished projects are among the key causes of recent flooding in Jaro District, officials reported. City leaders are now closely examining flood mitigation efforts to prevent further damage.

Mayor Raisa Treñas led an inspection on Thursday of critical flood mitigation projects, including the box culvert project at the radial road in Barangay Camalig and the access road with a bike lane in Barangay Tagbak. These incomplete initiatives have raised concerns among community members and local officials.

Box Culvert Project Falls Short of Irrigation Canal

The inspection revealed that the box culvert project, implemented by the Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), stopped approximately 145 meters short of the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) irrigation canal. Sources said this gap has contributed to flooding in several barangays.

Had the box culvert reached the canal, it would have effectively linked the irrigation canal to the floodway, potentially preventing flooding in Barangays Balantang, Camalig, Tagbak, and Buntatala. The mayor noted the city government is evaluating its resources to complete the remaining section and is also reviewing whether the Office of Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne Baronda secured national funding for the project.

Completion of the project is estimated to require between ₱20 million and ₱25 million. “When this is addressed, we can also solve the flooding in Balantang and Camalig,” the mayor said in an interview. She also expressed regret that the project proceeded without consultation with the officials of the affected barangays.

Access Road Project Faces Possible Encroachment Issues

Meanwhile, the ongoing access road and bike lane project in Barangay Tagbak also drew scrutiny during the inspection. Officials reported a possible encroachment on a body of water, though it remains unclear if it is a creek or an NIA irrigation canal. The project, also under the ICDEO, was designed to span 4.7 meters but measured seven meters wide during the inspection.

According to the project billboard, the construction began on February 26, 2024, with a planned completion date in September 2024. Community members expressed concern about the discrepancies and potential environmental impacts.

Call for Transparency and Accountability

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, Mayor Treñas urged Representative Baronda and the regional DPWH office to release a comprehensive list of all projects implemented in Iloilo City from 2019 to the present. “It must be emphasized that it is the congressional representative who requests, identifies and sponsors projects for the lone district of Iloilo City,” she stressed.

“Even the president himself has noted that projects here are either excessively delayed or poorly executed. Therefore, the responsibility lies with the congresswoman to account for and identify all these projects, since every single one implemented by the Iloilo City District Engineering Office originates from the district’s representative,” the mayor added.

In response, Representative Baronda called for the DPWH to release all records regarding infrastructure projects in Iloilo City’s lone district, reaffirming her commitment to transparency and accountability. She also challenged Mayor Treñas to disclose all records related to projects, permits, and infrastructure during the tenure of her father, Jerry Treñas, who served as congressman and mayor for multiple terms.

“He has spent a quarter of a century in power yet miserably failed in solving the flooding problems of the city,” Baronda said.

For more news and updates on Iloilo City flooding, visit Filipinokami.com.