The massive clearing and desilting of the Mandalagan River in Bacolod City is officially underway, a crucial effort intended to address perennial flooding in the city.
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said on Tuesday, October 21, that the city has requested the deployment of an Amphibious Dredger provided from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office.
Backhoes and dump trucks were also deployed to extract and collect accumulated silt, garbage, and debris obstructing the river’s channels.
An estimated 54,000 cubic meters of silt is targeted to be removed, with operation expected to last for 5-6 months.
The Mandalagan River is labelled as a vital waterway, serving as the main catchment area for eight tributary creeks that drain from Bacolod’s northern barangays, including Mandalagan, Estefania, Bata, Villamonte, Montevista, and Barangay 1.
Gasataya expressed confidence that the rehabilitation will have an immediate and significant impact. “When the river is restored, it will have an immediate impact in reducing risks of water build-up in a large portion of Bacolod City, especially in the north,” he said in a Facebook post.
The mayor emphasized that this intensive effort to restore the river’s full capacity is part of his commitment back in August to “safeguard nearby areas during heavy rains.”
