An area of a barangay in the town of Oton in Iloilo has been submerged in floodwaters for almost a year.

Residents there blame the situation to an unfinished drainage project, which has reportedly dragged for years.

According to the captain of Barangay Cabanbanan, the drainage project was started in 2017. In 2020, the owner of a private property gave the go signal for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to use the property for the project’s outfall or the part of the drainage that leads water into the river.

But DPWH has not finished the project until today, as of this writing.

“Wala pa ring aksyon ang DPWH. Ganun pa rin, nagsa-suffer pa rin ang mga tao sa flooding dahil walang daanan ang tubig,” the barangay captain, Gerry Hiñosa said.

It was in March 2026 when the barangay last wrote to DPWH, specifically to the Iloilo First District Engineering Office. Several months passed and no one from DPWH has reportedly visited their area.

GMA Regional TV Ratsada Balita sought comment from the Iloilo First District Engineering Office but the office has not issued a statement, as of this writing.

With the monsoon season bringing rains to many parts of the country, including in Iloilo, a resident of Barangay Cabanbanan hopes DPWH can take action, finally.

“Hinihiling namin sa DPWH na masolusyunan ang aming problema kasi hindi lang ako ang naaapektuhan, pati ang mga nakatira diyan sa likurang bahagi,” the resident, Maricor Venturanza, said.

Meanwhile, based on data from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-6, up to 17,127 individuals from 60 barangays in Western Visayas have been affected by persistent rains.

At least 154 houses were damaged by strong winds and floods.