NAGA CITY — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored the urgent need to rehabilitate and clear waterways in Naga City following a series of severe weather disturbances that battered the Bicol Region last year.

In an interview during his visit, the President said the national government had been planning for months to inspect the implementation of Oplan Kontra Baha (OKB) operations in the city, citing the growing intensity of rainfall brought by recent storms.

Marcos noted that the volume of rainfall has significantly increased compared to previous years, posing greater risks of flooding in low-lying communities.

“Because talagang naging critical ito eh, especially with the storms that came in. We know that Bicol is always the pathway of the storms. The immediate problem that we saw… is ‘yung bigat ng bagsak ng ulan. Dati hindi naman ganoon karami,” the Chief Executive said.

Accompanying the President during the inspection was Leni Robredo, Mayor of Naga City, who said that recent rainfall levels even surpassed those recorded during major typhoons such as Typhoon Ondoy and Typhoon Yolanda.

The President visited Sagop Creek in Barangay Triangulo as part of the government’s broader push for long-term flood mitigation and disaster resilience efforts, not only in the Bicol Region but nationwide.

Local officials and residents welcomed the President’s commitment to accelerate the clearing and rehabilitation of waterways in Naga City.

When asked about the significance of his visit, Marcos emphasized that public service should come first, saying, “serbisyo muna bago politika.”

📷 Presidential Communications Office