Residents of Sto. Niño Village in Barangay Banilad may soon see whether dredging can ease their long-standing flooding problem as the city government begins clearing part of a nearby wetland.
The operation started on Oct. 21, 2026, with the initial phase expected to last two to three weeks, City Administrator Atty. Gonzalo Malig-on Jr. said.
The work will initially focus on the section where water from the subdivision drains into the wetland. The city will evaluate the results before deciding whether to extend the dredging to other areas.
“Observaran usa kay dako man kaayo nang wetland. It will be very costly kung ang whole, but amo sa’ng tan-awon kung effective ba,” Malig-on said in an interview.
The operation followed a meeting between Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano and newly elected officers of the Sto. Niño Village Homeowners Association Inc., who renewed their appeal for a solution to the subdivision’s recurring floods.
Malig-on said residents had raised the problem during the previous administration, but the proposed dredging did not push through.
This time, Ouano coordinated with the office of Mandaue City Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon to arrange the borrowing of equipment from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Pasalamat ta sa DPWH Region 7 ug sa district office ug ni Cong. Lolypop nga sila maoy ni-tabang pag-pafacilitate nga maka-pahuwam og mga equipment,” Malig-on said.
The dredging is being carried out under the DPWH’s Oplan Kontra Baha initiative. The city government is providing fuel and personnel to monitor the operation.
Malig-on said the effectiveness of the work remains uncertain because of the wetland’s size and the volume of water flowing into it from higher-lying areas.
“Mao nay expectation, mao na ang recommendations sa mga engineer. Pero atong tan-awon lang sa nato how it works ba,” he said.
A separate DPWH drainage improvement project is also underway, passing through Sto. Niño Village and extending toward A.S. Fortuna Street.
During an inspection on Oct. 21, Ouano and Ouano-Dizon checked the first phase of the drainage project along Pelican and Flamingo streets, which aims to improve water flow toward the wetland.
City Councilor Atty. Carlo Fortuna, Malig-on, Executive Secretary Atty. Riczen Gingoyon, Barangay Banilad Captain Greg Yap, representatives of the City Engineer’s Office and City Planning and Development Office, and homeowners association officers also attended the inspection.
For residents, the start of dredging marks progress on a flooding concern they have raised for years. Whether it will significantly reduce flooding will depend on the outcome of the initial operation and the city’s subsequent assessment.
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