PBBM eyes revisit of Bicol River Basin Dev’t Program

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday suggested revisiting the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) to avoid a repeat of severe flooding in the region during weather disasters.

Marcos noted that despite the issues raised during the implementation of the BRBDP in the early 1970s, the development of the Bicol River Basin was a “big help” in preventing flooding in the region.

“‘Yun lamang, hindi natapos. In 1986, when the government changed, nawala. Nawala na yung project (It’s just that, it was not fully implemented. In 1986, when the government changed, it was not implemented. The project did not push through),” Marcos said during the situation briefing at the Naga City Hall to assess the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name Trami) in the region.

“We have to revisit it now. Iba na ang conditions ngayon (The conditions have changed), with the advent of climate change.”

The President made the recommendation, pointing out that the amount of rainfall in the Bicol Region during Kristine’s onslaught was double the amount of rainfall reported during the onslaught of Ondoy (international name Ketsana) in 2009.

The BRBDP was initiated by Marcos’ father and namesake, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., to focus on geography-based development in the Bicol Region.

The BRBDP’s irrigation and land consolidation projects marked a notable development of rural organizations and institutions.

Marcos reiterated the need to focus on flood control, considering that Kristine brought intense rains, resulting in landslides and widespread flooding in Bicol.

“The difference between the original development project for the Bicol River Basin was ‘yun, hindi lang (the original did not focus just on) flood control. Flood control is only one aspect,” he said. “It was really to support depressed areas here in Region 5. Now, we have to focus specifically on the flood control.”

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, with support from the Asian Development Bank and the European Economic Community, the program benefitted about 400 target villages provided with communal water systems and environmental sanitation facilities.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was present during the situation briefing, said the Korea Export-Import Bank has made a commitment to fund the flood control project in Bicol.

Bonoan said the DPWH would start the engineering design of the flood mitigation project in the Bicol Region by early 2025 and have it completed by end of 2025 or early 2026 to start the civil works.

Marcos also ordered the review of quarrying operations in Albay province following the request of acting Albay Governor Baby Glenda Ong-Bongao to look into it.