In response to the severe flooding brought about by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, particularly in the Bicol region, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reassess the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) as an essential flood control initiative for the area.
“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,” Marcos said during the situation briefing in Naga City on Saturday.
Marcos emphasized that the BRBDP could effectively address the recurring flooding in the Bicol region, directing DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to reevaluate the project, which has been on hold since 1986.
He also noted that the flood levels recorded in the Bicol region were twice as high as those observed during Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.
Marcos stated that the extensive flooding is a result of heavy rainfall from STS Kristine, an observation he made during his recent aerial survey of Southern Luzon, where Bicol's water levels continue to be critically high.
“Next time it rains, ito 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,” he added.
Marcos referred to the program as very advantageous for the community, noting that it aims to tackle chronic flooding while also enhancing the development of farm-to-market roads vital for agriculture.
"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,” said Marcos.
Pointing out that the excessive water levels are unmanageable and attributing the situation to climate change as the main culprit, Marcos reiterated the necessity for new solutions.
Meanwhile, Secretary Bonoan reported that the BRBDP was updated in July as part of a Philippine-Korea project, which includes a flood control feasibility study.
The DPWH also aims to complete the detailed engineering design by early next year, with construction scheduled to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
The BRBDP was initiated in the 1970s as a development program focused on the Bicol region. It received primary funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), along with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Economic Community.
