The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) on Saturday said flood mitigation initiatives should start in major river basins across the country.

“Paulit-ulit itong sitwasyon natin at paulit-ulit iyong ganitong pag-uulat namin [sa baha] kung hindi pa natin sisimulan iyong long-term integrated and comprehensive solution per river basin,” OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said in a news forum in Quezon City.

“Mayroon ho tayong 18 major river basins sa Pilipinas. Dapat bawat isa niyan [magawa]. [Pero of course, hindi naman tayo napakayamang bansa. [Kaya] magpa-prioritize tayo,” he added.

Nepomuceno said a comprehensive and integrated long term plan is composed of engineering solutions including hydroelectric dams to control floods.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier ordered to review the revival of the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP) which initially aimed to reduce flooding, and support the agriculture sector.

This is on top of the President’s directive to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR), and other agencies to overhaul the country’s flood control masterplan.

Nepomuceno said the same long-term solution should also be made for the Cagayan River Basin and the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna de Bay Basin.

“Tingnan na rin nang mabuti iyong Cagayan River Basin at dito sa Pasig, Marikina River Basin. Kasi iyan iyong laging napakaraming pinsala na dinudulot sa atin,” he said. |PND