Steady efforts to rehabilitate a key waterway in Misamis Oriental are yielding tangible results, with a recently completed infrastructure project helping to mitigate flooding for nearby communities.
Long-Term Rehabilitation of a Vital Waterway
FDC Misamis Power Corporation (FDC Misamis), a unit of the Filinvest Group, has reported significant progress in its multi-year mission to restore Soligao Creek in Villanueva. This initiative is part of the company's long-term Adopt-an-Estero Program, conducted in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau Region 10 (DENR-EMB R10) and the Municipal Government of Villanueva.
The program, first formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in 2018 and renewed in 2022, targets the 2-kilometer creek that flows into Macajalar Bay. Its core objectives are to restore the creek's cleanliness, enhance water quality, and crucially, reduce the incidence of flooding in adjacent areas.
Combining Clean-Ups, Infrastructure, and Greening
For several years, FDC Misamis has sustained monthly clean-up drives with partner barangays: Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2, and Looc. These are complemented by educational sessions for residents and schools on solid waste management and Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. These activities have cleared accumulated trash that once caused blockages and contributed to overflows during heavy rains.
The most visible structural improvements came in 2024 and 2025. In collaboration with the Municipal Engineer’s Office and MENRO Villanueva, the company completed 80 meters of riprapping and dredging along Poblacion 2 in 2024, followed by another 80-meter segment in 2025. This 160-meter project is designed to prevent soil erosion and directly address flooding.
Engr. Oliver Ello of MENRO Villanueva confirmed the impact, stating, "Before the riprapping and regular clean-ups, even moderate rain would quickly raise water levels. Now, water recedes faster and we have fewer flooding reports from households, especially in the completed areas."
Measurable Improvements in Water Health and Resilience
Beyond structural work, the program includes greening initiatives for bank stabilization. Since 2023, FDC Misamis and its partners have planted Chinese bamboo along the creek, including 200 seedlings in Poblacion 2 in late 2024. The company has also provided chainsaws and tools to barangays for maintaining estero banks.
Recent water quality tests by DENR-EMB R10 show encouraging signs. Sampling in the third quarter of this year revealed a significant decrease in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels within standard limits. This indicates a healthier, more self-purifying water body.
Juan Eugenio Roxas, President and CEO of FDC Misamis, emphasized the ongoing nature of the work: "These gains affirm that the Adopt-an-Estero program is working, but they also remind us that rehabilitation is a long-term journey. Our focus is to sustain improvements, further reduce pollution, and help make Soligao Creek a cleaner, safer waterway for the communities that depend on it."
Building on the progress of the past three years, FDC Misamis commits to continuing its collaboration with DENR-EMB R10, LGU Villanueva, and partner barangays toward a clean, green, and flood-resilient Soligao Creek.
