Marcos announces BRBDP to begin Q1 2025, emphasizes climate resilience

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday that work on the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) will commence in the first quarter of 2025.

During his visit to Camarines Sur, where he distributed assistance to those affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, Marcos emphasized the completion of updates and feasibility studies for the BRBDP earlier this year.

The detailed engineering design for the project is now underway and expected to begin in early 2025, with plans to make it resilient against climate change challenges.

Marcos tasked several government departments, including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to ensure that their strategies are integrated and future-proofed.

Last month, Marcos expressed his intention to revisit the BRBDP, a project initiated by his father in 1973, following the damage caused by Storm Kristine in the Bicol Region.

The Office of the President has allocated P50 million for calamity victims, which will be distributed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Financial assistance is being extended to various municipalities affected by the storm, with specific allocations detailed for each area.