President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to move forward with the updated Bicol River Basin Master Plan as part of ongoing efforts to address the chronic flooding issues in the Bicol Region.
“We must take immediate action. I have instructed the Public Works Department to develop a comprehensive master plan tailored to current conditions,” President Marcos stated during a Regional Development Council meeting in Pili, Camarines Sur, on Friday, March 7, 2025. “The key to addressing the region’s flooding problems lies in managing the water flow into the Bicol River Basin.”
The President emphasized that the updated plan must be implemented effectively, noting that the previous master plan had failed due to inadequate enforcement, which resulted in persistent flooding.
“Now that we have a new plan, we must ensure its proper execution. The old plan wasn’t fully carried out, and that’s why we continue to face the same issues,” President Marcos explained.
He also pointed out that the country must adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, which will result in increasingly severe weather patterns. As such, the old master plan is no longer sufficient to address emerging environmental crises.
“All stakeholders must understand how this plan will work, especially the agencies responsible for its execution, as well as the roles of both local and national governments,” the President added.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan assured that the department has already updated the master plan under the Philippine-Korea Project Facilitation Program. “We have successfully revised the plan to incorporate climate change considerations and other critical parameters,” Bonoan told the President.
In a related development, during a visit to Camarines Sur last November, President Marcos directed various agencies and local government units to collaborate on the integrated and sustainable implementation of the updated plan for the Bicol River Basin.
Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “L-Ray” Villafuerte Jr. called on the DPWH to prioritize dredging efforts in low-lying areas of the Bicol River, particularly in the Libmanan-Cabusao and Nabua-Bato-Baao Lake regions. Villafuerte highlighted that the river’s shallowness exacerbates flooding, suggesting that dredging could serve as an immediate measure before the full implementation of the master plan.
This multi-pronged approach aims to provide long-term solutions for the region’s persistent flooding problems, while also preparing for the growing impact of climate change.
