MANILA – Incoming Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Tuesday said the agency will prioritize projects for major river basins across the country in order to mitigate the effects of flooding.

“Nakalatag na po yung, nakita ko na po yung mga plano sa Department of Public Works and Highways, lalong-lalo na yung mga plano sa major river basins throughout the country,” he said.

“Ilalagay na lang po namin yung priorities, prayoridad dito ho sa mga river basins, kung ano ho yung dapat interventions that we have to implement kaagad ‘no para maibsan ho yung pagkontrol natin ng mga flooding problems.”

(I have already seen the DPWH's plans for major river basins across the country. We will just prioriritze the river basins and see what interventions we need to put in place to control the impact of flooding.)

The president and chief executive offer (CEO) of SMC Tollways said flood control projects are important in ensuring the Philippines’ economic recovery.

“Ito po’y nakakaantala din po sa food production natin. At isa sa mga utos din po ni President Bongbong Marcos Jr. na kailangan po natin tingnan lahat ng production areas, tulungan natin para mapabilis natin yung economic recovery natin.”

“Sabi nga niya sa'kin, dapat tingnan natin kung yung pwede nating gawin, suportahan natin yung agricultural areas, lalo yung sa farm-to-market roads. So, kaya yung mga water, rainwater impounding projects sa buong bansa, lalong-lalo na sa mga major production areas po,” he said.

(Flooding hampers food production and President Bongbong Marcos Jr. has asked me to look at all production areas so we can help speed up economic recovery. He said we need to look at agricultural areas, especially farm-to-market roads, and rainwater impounding projects in major production areas.)

A civil engineer, Bonoan has previously said that under his watch, the department would continue the projects under the "Build, Build, Build" program of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

He also said that the DPWH would initiate as well new public-private partnerships, a cornerstone of infrastructure development under Duterte's predecessor, the late Benigno Aquino III.

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--TeleRadyo, 14 June 2022