In the wake of the devastation Severe Tropical Storm #KristinePH brought on the Bicol Region, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. arrived in Naga City, Camarines Sur on Saturday, October 26, 2024.

Marcos, accompanied by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), extended cash assistance and distributed food packs to residents returning to their communities.

The President emphasized the government’s continued aid to help the region recover fully.

“We will continue sending our help and aid. I make this pledge to our people: Help is on the way. It will come by land, air, and, even by sea,” Marcos said in a press statement on Friday, October 25.

The Bicol Region saw widespread flooding and infrastructure damage.

Over 473,000 families, or approximately 2.2 million individuals, were affected, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its 8 a.m. situational report on Saturday, October 26.

Nearly 5,750 homes were damaged across the region, with a total of 169 roads and 26 bridges still impassable.

Over 50 municipalities experienced power interruptions, and communication lines were disrupted in 16 towns.

BICOL RIVER BASIN PROJECT

In a briefing held in Naga City, Marcos instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reassess the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), a long-term solution intended to prevent recurring flooding in the Bicol Region.

Launched initially in the 70s, the program sought to address flood control and improve regional infrastructure. It was halted in 1986.

“Itong mga lugar, mga [lugar sa] Batangas, mga [lugar sa] Cavite, nawala kaagad ang tubig. Dito, hindi nawawala ang tubig… we have to find a long-term solution,” he said, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

The DPWH updated the program earlier in July 2024 in collaboration with Korea, with Secretary Manuel Bonoan stating that the detailed design for flood control is expected in early 2025 with civil works likely starting by late 2025.

ON-THE-GROUND AID

In support of relief efforts, two tons of hotdogs and 1,000 boxes of canned goods arrived in Naga Airport from Frabelle Corporation and San Miguel Corporation, also on Saturday.

Marcos earlier directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other uniformed services to mobilize personnel and resources fully for rescue, relief, and rehabilitation, aiming for a swift response.

The President also ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to monitor and control prices in areas under a state of calamity to avoid profiteering.

In addition, the Department of Agriculture was tasked with deploying Kadiwa rolling stores to provide essential goods to affected residents.

The BRBDP’s revival is also expected to support vital farm-to-market roads, enhancing mobility and access to essential services, a need made more urgent by the impact of recent storms.

The President acknowledged that “climate change talaga ito. This is all new. So, we have to come up also with new solutions.”