Lawmakers bat for creation of agency to manage Bicol River Basin

By Ernie Delgado

LEGAZPI CITY --- House of Representatives lawmakers from the Bicol region plan to file a bill to establish a Bicol River Basin Management Office to address the severe flooding threats in mainland Bicol.

The Special Committee on Bicol Affairs and Economic Development, by lawmakers from the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon, agreed on a new agency during their meeting with officials of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) on Tuesday.

“Please provide us with the draft of the bill,” said Catanduanes Rep. Eulogio Rodriguez, the committee chair, asking DEPDev officials to prepare it.

DEPDev Regional Director Edna Cynthia Berces said the proposed BRBMO will be responsible for implementing its development program and flood control master plan.

According to DEPDev, the Bicol River Basin is essential for the region’s long-term resilience, as it serves as the primary source of water for agriculture, fisheries, and transportation, supporting the livelihoods of many residents in Albay, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte.

The River Basin Control Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has identified the Bicol River as the eighth largest river system in the country, stretching approximately 94 kilometers from Lake Bato to San Miguel Bay.

Its catchment area covers 317,103 hectares and flows through 33 municipalities and three cities in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Albay.

The DEPDev emphasized that comprehensive management of the basin is essential to mitigate the effects of natural disasters such as typhoons and flooding.

The Bicol Regional Development Council has noted that the Bicol River currently faces various socio-economic and environmental challenges, including environmental degradation and vulnerability to typhoons.

According to DEPDev, these challenges are exacerbated by the basin’s geographic characteristics.

In late 2024, Severe Tropical Storm Kristine struck Bicol, resulting in the declaration of a state of calamity in 78 areas in the region.

Local officials reported that, in addition to heavy rainfall, the high tide in San Miguel Bay caused flooding in Camarines Sur, Albay, and Naga City, as water cascaded back and failed to exit the Bicol River Basin.

Berces said effective management of the Bicol River will help ensure food and water security and support the local economy’s recovery after disasters.

Camarines Sur Rep. Nelson Legacion, the committee’s vice chair, said that if the bill does not pass the House soon, he would prefer an executive order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish the BRBMO.

“Kasi kung executive action mas madali for as long as the executive branch is convinced about the necessity of creating the Bicol River Basin Management Office,” he said. (PIA Bicol)