President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday personally inspected the ongoing “Oplan Kontra Baha” operations in Naga City, joining forces with former vice president and now Mayor Leni Robredo as authorities intensified efforts to curb recurring floods in the Bicol region.
Marcos first stopped at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum upon arriving in the city before proceeding to Sagop Creek in Barangay Triangulo, where he examined dredging, waste removal, and cleanup activities.
Robredo, who previously faced Marcos in the 2016 vice-presidential and 2022 presidential elections, accompanied him during the site inspections.
According to Marcos, the clearing and dredging works form part of a wider strategy to reduce flooding within the Bicol River Basin.
“These are the beginnings of the perennial na flood problem here in Naga and in the rest actually along the Bicol River,” Marcos said.
He pointed to heavy siltation as a key contributor to flooding, explaining that accumulated sediment has reduced the river’s depth and capacity to carry water. Marcos also echoed Robredo’s observation that communities previously spared from flooding are now experiencing inundation, linking the change to environmental degradation and climate change.
“Malaking trabaho ito. It will take time but marami na tayong mga intervention na puwedeng gawin… This is only the beginning,” he added.
After inspecting Sagop Creek, Marcos went to Sitio Magaya-gaya Creek in Barangay Concepcion Pequeña to review additional dredging and clearing efforts.
The Oplan Kontra Baha initiative in Naga, which began on February 18, is set to run until July 31. Covering 29 rivers and creeks and two lakes, the program targets a total water volume of 26.6 million cubic meters. Authorities are also clearing 250.51 kilometers of drainage lines, with 75,152 cubic meters of sediment slated for extraction.
The Department of Public Works and Highways, in coordination with the local government, deployed 27 dredging units, 30 dump trucks, and 1,525 personnel to carry out the operations.
The Naga project forms part of the administration’s broader flood mitigation campaign, with similar efforts underway in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod City.