SOLVING FLOODING WOES: PBBM to DPWH: Revisit BRBDP

By JASON B. NEOLA

IN the aftermath of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the urgent need to revisit the Bicol River Basin Development Project, citing prolonged flooding issues that have severely impacted Naga City and the Bicol Region.

During a situational briefing held in the city on October 26, this year, Marcos highlighted how floodwaters in Bicol have lingered much longer than in other affected areas like Batangas and Cavite. “In Batangas and Cavite, it was observed the floodwater immediately subsided. Here, it did not,” he said.

He emphasized that the recurring flooding in Bicol stems from the Bicol river basin’s rare challenges, which necessitates a long-term approach to flood control. “That’s why we need to think of what we are going to do in the long term because you cannot expect any changes,” Marcos added.

He recalled the Bicol River Basin Development Program, a USAID initiative launched in the early 1970s, which provided significant assistance in mitigating flood risks and constructing essential infrastructure.

However, the project was abandoned in 1986, following a change in government. “We have to revisit it now. Conditions are different now,” he said, underscoring the need to adapt the project to current environmental realities.

Secretary Manuel Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that the flood control program under the Bicol River Basin Development Project had been updated as recently as July 2024.

President Marcos rightly emphasized that pursuing the project is not only about flood control but about creating a sustainable foundation for economic growth and agricultural development — the lifeblood of the Bicolano people.

Under the facilitation of the Philippine-Korean Project, the feasibility study for flood control was completed, with digital engineering designs set to begin early next year. The Korean Exim Bank will finance the project, with construction anticipated to start by late 2025 or early 2026.

Storm Kristine has left a heavy toll on Bicol, affecting over 473,920 families and submerging nine of Camarines Sur’s 36 towns in floodwaters, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Of particular concern, Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion reported that around 30,000 families in nine barangays remain impacted by flooding, with approximately 30 percent of the city submerged at the height of the storm, affecting around 70 percent of its population.

In response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), led by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, has mobilized relief efforts in Naga City, where roughly 86,000 food packs are on standby for affected families.

Alongside this development, coordination with the Department of Health is underway to enhance the delivery of health services. To address the need for clean water, Manila Water and Maynilad have pledged to provide potable water, which the Air Force will airlift to the affected areas.

Marcos and his cabinet stressed that flood control must be the primary focus as Bicol prepares for future storms.

“The floodwaters were too much. We have flood control [projects], but they can’t hold this amount of floodwaters,” Marcos said, emphasizing that a sustainable solution is important to safeguarding Naga City and the Bicol region from recurring flood devastation.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (2nd from left) discusses with Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion (3rd from left), his plan to revisit the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) to address recurrent flooding caused by typhoons. Also in the conversation are DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla (leftmost) and DSWD Regional Director Norman Laurio (rightmost). Jam Madrid