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Marcos Orders DPWH To Implement Updated Bicol River Basin Plan: 'We Need To Act Now'
Photo credit: PCO
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. isn’t wasting any time tackling Bicol’s long-standing flood problem. During a recent Regional Development Council meeting in Pili, Camarines Sur, he made it clear: the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) needs to roll out the updated Bicol River Basin Master Plan—fast.
“I already instructed Public Works to come up with a master plan which is appropriate for now. There is no other way to address the flooding problem except to manage the water flowing into the Bicol Region River Basin,” Marcos emphasized.
The issue? An outdated master plan that wasn’t properly executed. “At least we have a plan now. We have to implement it properly because the old master plan was not rigorously implemented, so we have the same problem,” he added.
Adapting to Climate Change
The President underscored that with climate change making weather conditions more extreme, the country needs a flood management strategy that can withstand these new challenges. He also stressed that the updated plan should be accessible to all stakeholders, ensuring that both local and national governments understand their roles in the implementation.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed that the agency has completed the plan’s revision under the Philippine-Korea Project Facilitation Program. “We have completed the updating of the master plan to include also the basic parameters taking into account climate change,” Bonoan reported to the President.
A Long-Term Plan with Immediate Solutions
President Marcos had already called for a coordinated, long-term approach to flood control in the Bicol River Basin during his visit to Camarines Sur last November. But while the master plan is essential, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “L-Ray” Villafuerte Jr. is pushing for immediate action. He’s urging the DPWH to dredge low-lying areas of the Bicol River, particularly in Libmanan-Cabusao and Nabua-Bato-Baao Lake, where shallow waters worsen flooding.
With the updated plan in place and calls for urgent solutions, the pressure is on to finally resolve Bicol’s persistent flood woes. Now, all eyes are on the DPWH to make sure this plan doesn’t just stay on paper.
“I already instructed Public Works to come up with a master plan which is appropriate for now. There is no other way to address the flooding problem except to manage the water flowing into the Bicol Region River Basin,” Marcos emphasized.
The issue? An outdated master plan that wasn’t properly executed. “At least we have a plan now. We have to implement it properly because the old master plan was not rigorously implemented, so we have the same problem,” he added.
Adapting to Climate Change
The President underscored that with climate change making weather conditions more extreme, the country needs a flood management strategy that can withstand these new challenges. He also stressed that the updated plan should be accessible to all stakeholders, ensuring that both local and national governments understand their roles in the implementation.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed that the agency has completed the plan’s revision under the Philippine-Korea Project Facilitation Program. “We have completed the updating of the master plan to include also the basic parameters taking into account climate change,” Bonoan reported to the President.
A Long-Term Plan with Immediate Solutions
President Marcos had already called for a coordinated, long-term approach to flood control in the Bicol River Basin during his visit to Camarines Sur last November. But while the master plan is essential, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “L-Ray” Villafuerte Jr. is pushing for immediate action. He’s urging the DPWH to dredge low-lying areas of the Bicol River, particularly in Libmanan-Cabusao and Nabua-Bato-Baao Lake, where shallow waters worsen flooding.
With the updated plan in place and calls for urgent solutions, the pressure is on to finally resolve Bicol’s persistent flood woes. Now, all eyes are on the DPWH to make sure this plan doesn’t just stay on paper.
Mar 8, 2025
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