The continuous heavy rainfall brought about by the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was enhanced by Typhoon Goring, resulted in intense flooding and landslides in different areas in Iloilo City and province.

This prompted City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas to ask some concerned government agencies, the academe, and other experts to convene with the different Local Government Units (LGUs) in Iloilo.

“I ask the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), and the academic community together with other experts to sit down with the LGUs in Iloilo province on the recent floods brought about by the strong rains,” he said.

“For the first time in Iloilo City, areas which were not previously flooded experienced intense flooding,” the mayor stressed.

Treñas

urged the concerned agencies to study the situation seriously so that “we can prevent similar occurrences in the

future”, noting that the projects of the DPWH in the future should be able to prevent “the same to preclude damage to property and worst, loss of lives.”

“On our part, we need to intensify our efforts for tree planting; conversion to renewable energy; bigger drainage systems; more pumping stations; more cisterns; more rain water harvesting facilities; and other measures,” he added.

Data from Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) indicated that as of 6:00 a.m., Aug. 30, a total of 90 areas in the metro were still flooded and 11 were already subsided; while around 12,000 individuals were housed in evacuation centers.

Treñas also thanked the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for the assistance they gave to the residents, making sure that everyone has enough food.

Meanwhile, classes from preschool to senior high school in both public and private academic institutions in Iloilo City were also suspended from August 29 to 30. Some municipalities in the province also decided to temporarily suspend classes due to heavy rains.

AAL/JNH/PIA6 Iloilo