The Anti-Baha coalition

The city government appears to have met its match with the Bacolod Anti-Baha Coalition. Composed of trained minds and equipped with modern tools, the Anti-Baha members had aptly scored the city government for delayed implementation of the relocation of illegal settlers along the Banago area.

What struck me with the Anti-Baha case was the TV shots they had about the ongoing effort by the city to settle the issue of periodic floodings on the Bata-Mandalagan and Santa Clara areas plus a lot more.

Contrary to the November 30 timeline set by the city government, the Baha members were carefully watching the progress of their work in complying with their own imposed deadline.

Sunshine Channel's Edmund Aspero, originally billed as Anti-Baha, yesterday came out with his findings about the Mambuloc Creek and its tributaries that empties in Banago. And it was a surprise.

Yesterday, piles of garbage and houses built right on the brink of the esteros were filmed by Aspero's TV crew.

In short, based on the assessment of what is going on and the conditions that surprised even Edmund, the city can expect to have more floods in the area. What was surprising was the testimony by residents of the area of how deep the waters reach when it rains.

Jean Trebol, herself a top official of the Anti-Baha, showed the piles of garbage dumped just beside the Banago Creek by the backhoe. And left there to Nature's devices. In short, these are, in her language, just going to be dumped back into the river by heavy rains. And there goes the efforts of the city.

While Mayor Evelio Leonardia kept finger pointing to the Department of Public Works and Highways for failing to properly complete the 800-meter flooding bypass project in Purok Riverside. They asked for understanding since the dredger it has rented from Sipalay City had just arrived. And, as explained by Councilor Roberto Rojas, chair of the city task force, the dredging operations was delayed because they have to replace the fan belt of the equipment.

In effect, Leonardia pointed out that it is not just a QUESTION OF RELOCATING THE ILLEGAL SETTLERS. More important is to provide them the proper place where they can be situated.

He cited humanitarian factors.

Baha pointed out that the relocation of squatters started Dec. 4 instead of Nov. 17 as promised by the city.

The DPWH, on the other hand, appears to have remained silent insofar as their part of the responsibility for the flooding is concerned. And, yes, they also have answered former Councilor Patty Cuaycong for the construction of two eateries right on top of the open canal along Burgos Street . These improvised structures stand right in front of the residence of Rep. Monico Puentevella.

But it seems neither the DPWH had enforced the ban on the act nor did the city officials demand from the store owners of the eateries the necessary building permit or their license to operate an eatery.

I must admit that these are just two of the things that have been bugging both the city and the DPWH insofar as the flood problems of Bacolod are concerned.

The poor mayor of Bacolod gets blamed for the inefficiency or incompetence of subordinate officials.

For example, Saturday, I passed by Espinos II and saw a big pile of uncollected garbage right at the entrance of the subdivision. And I had expected that Leonardia's subordinates would have taken extraordinary care to collect the debris there. But until yesterday, these were still there. No, not just piled up but also strewn over a wide area. That should alert Leonardia's underlings that they just had just given former Mayor Joy Valdez a legitimate issue against the incumbent mayor.

During the next few days “I'll be toting my camera around and get pictures of the state of the city and the mess confronting the Leonardia administration.” While they have been racking their brains on how to take over the BREDCO port, it seems our city dads have not been paying attention to more soluble problems that demand their immediate attention.

Well, as they say, come up with a big issue to ward off public attention from the many important complaints of the residents.*

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