Marcos Jr. proposes reviving BRBDP to address Bicol floods

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suggested revisiting his father's Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) after severe flooding caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

During a situation briefing in Naga City on Saturday, Marcos noted that despite some challenges, the BRBDP contributed significantly to flood control and infrastructure development before it was halted in 1986.

The president observed during an aerial inspection that floods persist longer in Bicol after heavy rains compared to other regions like Batangas and Cavite, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions due to climate change.

Marcos highlighted that existing measures cannot handle extreme weather conditions, such as Kristine's onslaught which deposited one meter of water in the area, nearly double the amount reported during Ondoy in 72 hours.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is currently studying the BRBDP to address flood control issues, with plans to start engineering designs by early next year and complete them by late 2025 or early 2026 for civil works.

Funded by USAID with support from ADB and EEC, the original program benefitted about 400 villages with communal water systems and environmental sanitation facilities.

The Bicol region was one of the hardest-hit areas by Kristine, leaving approximately 2.2 million individuals or 473,920 families affected according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.