DPWH: Civil works for Bicol River Basin project likely to start by 2026

The civil works for the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), a project which the Marcos administration plans to revisit, could restart 40 years after it was halted in 1986, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Sunday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan welcomed the preparations for the reevaluation of BRBDP as a flood control measure, with the assistance from Korean Exim Bank.

“So ito ‘yung pine-prepare namin and we hope that we can prepare all the detailed engineering designs, ‘yung mga flood control projects by early next year,” Bonoan said.

(So this is what we are preparing for and we hope that we can come up with all the detailed engineering designs for the flood control projects by early next year.)

“But it will take a little time actually kasi marami ito at saka malalaking projects ito so there’s a chance that we may be able to do the civil work, ‘yung mga projects na by 2026 thereafter,” he added.

(But it will actually take a little time because these are many big projects so there's a chance that we may be able to do the civil work of these projects by 2026 thereafter.)

Launched in the 1970s under the administration of late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the BRBDP was a geography-based development initiative for the Bicol Region. However, it was halted in 1986 when the Corazon Aquino administration took over.

On Saturday, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he plans to revisit the BRBDP, a project of his late father, following the devastation brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in the Bicol Region.

Aside from the flood control aspect, Marcos said that the BRBDP also includes the farm-to-market road project to support depressed areas in Region 5.

The President, who went to Camarines Sur for a situation briefing, also pointed out that rainfall in the Bicol Region amid Kristine was "double" that of Ondoy in 2009.

"That's the proverbial problem of the Bicol River Basin. Kaya kailangan talaga nating pag-isipan (We need to think through) what are we going to do in the long-term, because we cannot expect any changes. Next time it rains, ito na naman tayo (here we are again). It will be the same situation all over again. So we have to find a long-term solution," he said. —RF, GMA Integrated News