Hinigaran Roadworks + “Closed” Drains = Surprise Splash Park

I’ve been living in Bacolod for a while now, but you know how it is — you can take the girl out of Hinigaran, but you can’t take Hinigaran out of the girl. And lately, every time I scroll through my feed, it feels like my hometown has turned into a waterpark nobody signed up for.

Photos, videos, rants, and memes are all over Facebook. My relatives and friends are venting. Every Messenger ping is another update about flooded streets, stalled engines, and someone’s kid being carried through knee-deep water. And even though I’m an hour away, I feel just as frustrated because the people I love are right in the middle of this mess.

Posted by Janice Ivy Yulo Lopez on Thursday, August 28, 2025

Here’s what’s happening: roadworks are ongoing, drainage systems are disrupted, and now entire streets are turning into rivers. My best friend, who owns Coyo’s Café, has been messaging me because their street is completely flooded. The café can’t open, staff can’t come in, and customers can’t even get close. Neighbors are saying the main drainage was closed during the construction — and honestly, if that’s true, whoever signed off on that decision should try walking through it in slippers at 7 a.m. for the full experience.

I get it — we all want better roads. I’m not against progress. But why schedule such heavy road and drainage work right at the peak of the rainy season? It feels like the perfect storm of bad timing and poor planning. And if drainage lines are going to be touched or closed, there should have been proper rerouting, temporary bypasses, and, at the very least, clear communication to the public. Instead, what we got is chaos, rumors, and a lot of angry Facebook comments.

The silence from the responsible parties isn’t helping either. If you’re going to dig up roads, block drains, and reroute traffic, the bare minimum is to tell people what’s happening. Post a timeline. Show a map of which areas are affected. Tell us why certain drains are closed and when they’ll reopen. Keep people updated every single day, especially businesses that rely on foot traffic, like Coyo’s Café, which is currently drowning — literally and financially.

And while we’re at it, maybe — just maybe — this should be prioritized first before spending piles of money making the Hinigaran Public Plaza glamorous for the big Christmas competition on “which LGU gets the best Christmas decoration.” Pretty lights are nice, sure, but how about we make sure the streets aren’t rivers before we make them sparkle?

Pretty lights are nice, sure, but how about we make sure the streets aren’t rivers before we make them sparkle?

Even though I’m in Bacolod, I’m not spared from this. My family’s there. My friends are there. My favorite cafés, shops, and hangout spots are there. If they’re struggling, then I feel it too. I don’t need to be physically stuck in traffic or wading through brown floodwater to be affected. When livelihoods are on the line and kids can’t get to school, we all pay the price.

We want the roads fixed — we really do. But we also want a dry town, safe access to businesses, and some assurance that this isn’t just going to be our new normal every time it rains. These things aren’t impossible to balance. It’s called proper planning.

Until then, I’ll keep scrolling through the updates, screenshotting every photo, and keeping my slippers by the door — just in case Bacolod decides it wants to join the trend too.