Marcos to DPWH: Revisit Bicol River Basin Dev’t Program to address flooding
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to revisit the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) as a critical flood control measure for the Bicol Region, following severe flooding caused by Severe Tropical Storm ''Kristine''.
In a situation briefing held in Naga City, Marcos directed DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to re-evaluate the project which was halted in 1986.
He said project could address recurring flooding in the region.
Marcos said flood levels recorded in Bicol were twice as high as those observed during Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.
“Itong mga lugar, mga [lugar sa] Batangas, mga [lugar sa] Cavite, nawala kaagad ang tubig. Dito, hindi nawawala ang tubig. But that’s the proverbial problem of the Bicol River Basin. Kaya’t kailangan talaga nating pag-isipan what are we going to do with the long-term because you cannot expect any changes,” he said.
The President attributed the extensive flooding to the heavy rainfall brought about by ''Kristine''. He made the observation during his recent aerial inspection of Southern Luzon amid the flooding in Bicol where the water has yet to recede significantly.
“Next time it rains, (heto) na naman tayo. It would be the same situation all over again. So, we have to find a long-term solution. Pinag-aaralan ko ito and I found that in 1973 there was the Bicol River Basin Development Project,” Marcos said.
“Yun lamang, hindi natapos. In 1986 when the government changed, nawala na ‘yung project. Basta’t natigil. So, we have to revisit it now. Iba na ang conditions ngayon with the advent of climate change,” the President added.
The project was launched in the 1970s as a geography-based development initiative for the Bicol region, primarily funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Economic Community.
Marcos said the program was “very advantageous” to the community, designed not only to address chronic flooding but also to support farm-to-market roads essential for agriculture.
The program’s benefits were noted in the mid-1980s, with road improvements in road access leading to greater mobility, reduced travel times, and enhanced access to markets, medical services, and educational and other facilities.
“Now, we have to focus specifically on flood control. The others, marami naman tayong mga plano for the rest of it. But we have to focus now on flood control,” Marcos said.
“Pero hindi kaya ‘yung ganito karaming tubig. Hindi talaga kaya kasi never naman ? walang forecast na ganito. Ito climate change talaga ito. This is all new. So, we have to come up also with new solutions,” he added.
Bonoan informed Marcos thaat the project was updated in July this year under a Philippine-Korea project, which includes a feasibility study for flood control.
According to Bonoan, they are expecting to complete a detailed engineering design by early next year, with civil works expected to start by late 2025 or early 2026. Presidential News Desk
