The dredging of the waterways in Barangay Banago, Bacolod City is expected to resume soon with the arrival Tuesday of the Watermater dredging machine of Sipalay, Bacolod Councilor Roberto Rojas yesterday.

Rojas said the dredging machine has many features or facilities and can perform as a backhoe. He said it can travel at 5 knots and can dredge 54 cubic meters per hour.

Its operator, Lemuel Aspero, said the machine, which was manufactured in Finland , was bought by the Sipalay government for P57 million.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said this is a breakthrough in solving the flooding problem of the city. He thanked Sipalay Mayor Soledad Montilla and Vice Mayor Oscar Montilla for their response in lending the machine to the city although the contract for the rental of the equipment is still being process.

Leonardia said Sipalay has an ordinance that pegged the rental rates at P3,600 per hour but because of the generosity of Sipalay for Bacolod , it is only charging the city P3,000 per hour.

Rojas said the vice mayor of Sipalay told him that they are giving the first five days of operation as a Christmas gift to the city. With the dredging machine of Sipalay, they could save so much time since it has a greater capacity compared to the existing equipment of the city.

Rojas said the dredging operation will cover about four months which he estimates may cost about P5 million to include fuel costs and gears. He said the city has an initial budget of P2.5 million after the Sangguniang Panlungsod declared an imminent danger of calamity in the city.

The dredging operations will start from Purok Mahimulaton in Banago, the Mandalagan Creek, Mambuloc creek and the creek in Gaisano, Rojas said.

Banago Brgy. Captain Roel Cordova said that more residents living in danger zones have signified that they are voluntarily moving out of the areas. He said they may have realized that once the dredging operation resumes, they will be dislocated.

Rojas said the city is trying its best to prepare the Kimara Association area so the dislocated residents of Purok Mahimulaton could transfer before Christmas. There are 15 families who have already paid their entrance fee using the financial assistance provided by the city, he said.

The affected residents are temporarily sheltered at the old pala-pala in Banago, Rojas said.

Leonardia thanked Cordova since the Banago Council passed a resolution banning new informal settlers from establishing structures along the waterways of their barangay. He said he will meet with the barangay captains to remind them to give the matter attention.

Leonardia said the city will use the property in Vista Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay), which has been reserved for the city employees, for the residents of Banago who have been dislocated by the dredging operation including those from Brgy. 8.

Meanwhile, the members of the Asosasyon sg mga Trabahador sa Slaughterhouse held another rally at the Fountain of Justice yesterday and submitted their position papers to the SP.

AMTS spokesperson Rizalde Tupas said they want the city to hear their opposition on the transfer of the slaughterhouse which will affect the livelihood of about 70 percent of the residents of Brgy. 35, during a privileged speech at the SP yesterday.*CGS

back to top