Oplan Kontra Baha–Bicol: Collective Action Toward Safer Communities

THE NATION is preparing for a historic milestone with the planned launch of Oplan Kontra Baha–Bicol (OKB), a comprehensive flood mitigation initiative anchored on the Bicol River Basin Masterplan. The target launch date is February 21, 2026, with expected participation from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., key Cabinet Secretaries, the Regional Development Council chaired by Governor Noel E. Rosal, Governor Luis Raymund “Lray” F. Villafuerte, members of Congress from Camarines Sur, and local government leaders, including Mayor Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo of Naga City and Mayor Rubilyn “Bhing” C. Euste of Milaor, Camarines Sur. While this date serves as a working target, organizers underscore that it remains flexible to ensure inclusive participation and full operational readiness across all sectors.

At the heart of Oplan Kontra Baha lies not only the science of flood mitigation, but also the soul of the Bicolano people, deeply rooted in spirituality and embodied in devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bicolandia. Celebrated annually through the grand fluvial procession and countless acts of faith, this devotion symbolizes resilience, hope, and collective strength, values that resonate powerfully with the mission of OKB. The Bicol River Basin, long vulnerable to recurring floods, is more than a geographic challenge; it is a living testament to the interplay of nature, community, and faith. By integrating spirituality with science-based interventions, Oplan Kontra Baha recognizes that resilience is built not only through infrastructure, but also through spiritual fortitude and the enduring bayanihan spirit of the people.

The initiative represents a meaningful convergence of science and spirituality. Engineering solutions, hydrological studies, and infrastructure projects aim to safeguard lives and livelihoods, while participatory governance is enriched by values of humility, compassion, and solidarity inspired by Marian devotion. Civic groups, local government units, engineers, architects, and ordinary citizens unite, much like devotees during the Peñafrancia festivities, in a shared mission of protection and renewal. Oplan Kontra Baha transcends conventional flood control, envisioning nation-building through bayanihan, where every contribution, technical expertise, civic engagement, or spiritual solidarity, becomes part of a collective offering. Just as the faithful carry the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia together, so too do communities carry the shared responsibility of resilience and sustainability.

In the short term, the program will focus on comprehensive flood risk mapping of the Bicol River Basin and its tributaries, priority dredging operations led by the Bureau of Equipment under Director Toribio Noel L. Ilao, and the strengthening of local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) capacities through targeted workshops and technical training. To support these efforts, a broad coalition of civic, youth, faith-based, professional, and academic organizations—including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Church ministries of the Archdiocese of Caceres, Tau Gamma Phi, business groups, APO, PICE, architectural, mechanical, medical, and nursing associations, public and private schools, Sangguniang Kabataan, socio-civic clubs (Rotary, Lions, Jaycees, Eagles), uniformed services, OLPA, and other religious and academic institutions will be mobilized for community-based monitoring and public awareness campaigns.

In the long term, the initiative aims to institutionalize risk-informed infrastructure planning across the Bicol Region, establish a regional flood resilience framework that can be scaled nationwide, and sustain multi-sectoral collaboration among professional associations, faith-based NGOs such as Bayanihan Para Ki Ina, Inc., the business sector, academe, alumni groups, environmental advocates, medical and nursing organizations, and the clergy. Collectively, these efforts seek to embed bayanihan values into disaster preparedness and recovery, transforming resilience from a programmatic goal into a lasting cultural cornerstone.

Recent milestones underscore the initiative’s growing momentum. On January 25, 2026, a DPWH Central Office delegation led by Undersecretary Charles T. Calima Jr. and Director Toribio Noel L. Ilao visited the region, joined by technical experts including Coastal Engineer Vincent Jan Aurelio Nicer, Engr. Bernadette Ann A. Rociento, Engr. Dindo M. Macabante, and Engr. Shander T. Tasarra. Their presence affirmed the administration’s commitment to grounding policy in technical rigor and operational readiness. The delegation paid a courtesy call on Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal, Chair of the RDC, followed by a working luncheon with DPWH Regional Office V and District Engineering Offices in Camarines Sur, focusing on aligning local priorities with the Bicol River Basin Masterplan and the broader OKB framework.

From January 26–27, 2026, Undersecretary Calima, in his capacity as Task Force Commander of Oplan Kontra Baha, together with Director Ilao and technical engineers, conducted a courtesy visit to Mayor Leni Robredo of Naga City. The meeting convened representatives from government agencies and civil society organizations, reinforcing the importance of local-level collaboration. Discussions centered on synchronizing OKB with ongoing city initiatives and ensuring that Naga’s role as a critical flood prone area is fully integrated into the masterplan.

On February 3, 2025, a courtesy visit and collaborative meeting was convened with Mayor Rubilyn “Bhing” Euste of Milaor, attended by the founder and lead organizer of Bayanihan Para Ki Ina, Inc., together with fourth-year nursing students from Naga College Foundation, Inc. The students, engaged in community organizing and participatory research, incorporated the Oplan Kontra Baha (OKB) framework into their data gathering and planning activities, thereby aligning academic inquiry with practical disaster risk reduction initiatives. The meeting also brought together department heads of LGU Milaor, underscoring the importance of multi-sectoral participation in flood resilience planning.

Discussions highlighted the integration of insights from technical personnel who had earlier participated in the year-end report in Legazpi with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). Their sharing of experiences, technical expertise, and institutional commitments reinforced the collaborative spirit of OKB, ensuring that government-led initiatives are supported with open arms by local communities. Milaor, recognized as a critical catchment area in Camarines Sur and within the broader Bicol River Basin, was emphasized as a strategic site for implementing flood mitigation measures.

In this context, both Naga City and Milaor were identified as initial proposed launch sites for the OKB program, given their pivotal roles as catchment areas of the Bicol River Basin. Their inclusion reflects not only the hydrological significance of these localities but also their readiness to serve as models for participatory, risk-informed planning. By embedding community engagement, technical collaboration, and bayanihan values into the program’s foundation, the initiative aims to transform disaster preparedness and resilience into enduring cultural and institutional practices across the region.

On January 31, 2026, echoing and presentation of the recently Year End Report by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management headed by EDMERO Chief Luzen N, Bermeo of the Province of Camarines Sur was conducted at the 3rd District Engineering Office in Canaman, Camarines Sur, hosted by District Engineer Jose Gigantone Jr. The workshop gathered representatives from DPWH Central and Regional Offices, five District Engineering Offices, representatives from varied Municipalities along with civic partners. Activities included participatory flood-prone area mapping, technical presentations, and collaborative strategy-building sessions. Director Ilao emphasizes the importance of modernized equipment and logistics, while newly appointed DPWH Region V Director Engr. Khadaffy D. Tanggol underscored continuity and innovation in regional flood management.

The breadth of participation from government institutions and civil society to academia, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), Tau Gamma Phi (TGP), OLPA, and youth organizations—underscores that Oplan Kontra Baha is not merely a government-led intervention, but an emerging movement for nation-building. Its strategic focus on the Bicol Region reflects both urgency and opportunity: urgency in responding to the recurrent and systemic flooding of the Bicol River Basin, and opportunity in demonstrating how bayanihan can elevate disaster risk reduction from a technical undertaking to a replicable national model for resilience.

Ultimately, the success of Oplan Kontra Baha will not hinge solely on government agencies or engineering solutions, but on the collective will and sustained engagement of the Filipino people. Local governments must continue to advance participatory planning processes that amplify and empower the voices of flood-affected communities. Schools and universities play a critical role in cultivating the next generation of engineers, architects, health professionals, and civic leaders who will sustain and innovate resilience efforts. Meanwhile, civic groups, professional associations, and youth organizations must remain steadfast in volunteerism, public education, and grassroots action, ensuring that resilience is embedded not only in infrastructure and policy, but in the social fabric of the nation.

Grounded in our love of God and country, our involvement reflects a shared moral responsibility to care for one another and for the land we have been entrusted to steward. Most importantly, ordinary citizens can embody the spirit of bayanihan by staying informed, participating in community initiatives, and supporting flood-resilience measures in their barangays. When institutions and individuals act together, resilience becomes more than policy, it becomes a way of life, rooted in faith, patriotism, and shared purpose. As preparations move forward toward the target launch of February 21, 2026, the call is clear: let us unite in bayanihan, guided by science, solidarity, and service, to build a safer, stronger, and more resilient Bicol Region, and ultimately, a more resilient Philippines.