Marcos: Implement updated Bicol River Basin Master Plan to address flooding

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to implement the updated Bicol River Basin Master Plan to mitigate the impact of flooding in the region.

"I already instructed the Public Works to come up with a master plan that 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 said during the Regional Development Council meeting in Pili, Camarines Sur, on Friday.

"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 said.

While visiting Camarines Sur in October last year, Marcos witnessed the devastation caused by floods brought on by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

Marcos said at the time that flood control should be the government's priority.

On Friday, Marcos said that the old master plan is no longer suitable to address current weather challenges due to climate change.

"We have completed the updating of the master plan to also include the basic parameters taking into account climate change," Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan told the President, adding the initiative was included in the Philippine-Korea Project Facilitation Program.

Marcos said the updated plan should be made available to all stakeholders so that they will understand how it is supposed to work and the role of local and national government.

For his part, Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund "L-Ray" Villafuerte Jr. asked the DPWH to dredge the low-lying areas of the Bicol River, particularly the Libmanan-Cabusao and the Nabua-Bato-Baao Lake.

According to the congressman, the river is too shallow in some places, making them vulnerable to flooding. Dredging could be accomplished before the modified master plan is fully implemented, he said. — VBL, GMA Integrated News