Kabankalan City’s flood map showed a city still at the mercy of water, with more than 64 square kilometers (sqkm) identified as flood-prone—evidence that flooding continued to shape daily life and define the city’s most pressing challenge.
Brigada News FM Kabankalan’s hazard assessment, generated through GeoRisk PH on Monday, December 1, and based on the DENR-MGB’s 2018 flood-susceptibility dataset, showed that many barangays contained mixed flood-risk zones, with some portions classified as very high risk and other sections falling under the moderate category.
The assessment identified Inapoy, Camugao, Carol-an, Hilamonan, Linao, Oringao, Tan-Awan, Barangay 6 (Pob.), Camansi, Camingawan, Orong, Tagoc, Talubangi, Tampalon, Daan Banua, Salong, Bantayan, Tabugon, and Binicuil as barangays with very high-risk sections. These areas contain the most extensive and persistent flood-prone zones in the city, spanning both rural villages and densely populated communities.
Several barangays also registered moderate-risk portions, including Oringao, Barangays 1 to 9 (Pob.), Camansi, Talubangi, Binicuil, Camugao, Hilamonan, Daan Banua, Linao, Salong, Orong, and Tan-Awan. These areas show mid-range levels of exposure where floodwaters may rise during prolonged or intense rainfall, though not as severely as in very high-risk zones.
This mixed-risk pattern demonstrates how hazard exposure varies even within the same barangay, reflecting differences in terrain, proximity to waterways, and drainage capacity across Kabankalan City.
This citywide vulnerability intensifies scrutiny on Mayor Benjie Miranda, who ended the Zaycos’ decades-long leadership in 2022 with a campaign promise to make Kabankalan “flood-free.”
Now in his second term, he continues to face complaints from residents who say floodwaters still rise quickly in the city proper, even after moderate rains. The new hazard data reinforces their concerns by confirming that flood-prone zones remain widespread from the uplands to the city center.
Still on track
Earlier, Miranda insisted that his administration remains “on track” to deliver on its flood-free commitment. To accelerate interventions, he sought authority to secure a P2-billion loan, which would fund major drainage upgrades and large-scale engineering works that the annual city budget cannot cover.
The proposal has sparked debate inside the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Several councilors said that the administration has not presented a detailed masterplan, raising transparency and governance questions.
The council—dominated by a majority bloc led by Vice Mayor Divina Miranda, the mayor’s wife—approved the resolution authorizing the city’s chief executive to negotiate the loan.
Councilor Adolfo Mangao immediately challenged the approval. He argued that the council passed the measure with only a simple majority, even though the law and jurisprudence require a “qualified majority” for borrowing.
Mangao also warned that the city could face long-term financial consequences if it proceeds, noting that heavy annual interest payments could consume a significant portion of Kabankalan’s budget.
Meanwhile, business leader Frank Carbon said the city has a strong potential to attract major investors, but stressed that it must first resolve basic infrastructure issues such as flooding, water supply, and other basic utilities.
He noted that investors evaluate reliability of infrastructure as a key factor, and that recurring floods in the city proper could discourage business expansion.
With nearly a tenth of the city’s land still flood-prone—and with rising pressure from residents, business leaders, and local lawmakers—the fate of the P2-billion flood-control plan will determine how soon Kabankalan can confront and overcome its long-standing struggle with flooding.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.