PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Wednesday that he would meet with local government units (LGUs) to discuss the fast-tracking of priority projects.
Dizon said the move was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to collaborate with local governments nationwide to resolve infrastructure-related problems and ensure that funds allocated for projects go to the concerned communities.”We really need to work with the mayors because mayors are the ones who know what the problems are. So, we are really going around; the president ordered us to talk to all the mayors,” Dizon said, following his inspection of infrastructure projects and Oplan Kontra Baha (OKB) sites in Naga City and Quezon City.The OKB aims to clean and widen waterways and deepen rivers to alleviate flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas throughout the country.During his visit in Naga City, Dizon said that together with Robredo, they inspected areas where OKB is being implemented, including the Bicol River Esplanade. He added that they also discussed the implementation of priority projects in the city, including sidewalks and bicycle lanes.In Quezon City, Dizon said that he and Mayor Joy Belmonte also inspected the Matalahib Creek Pumping Station, which is expected to reduce flooding in Barangay Talayan and Sto. Domingo. The project has been suspended since August 2025 after the contractor’s license was revoked.Earlier, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) completed a larger drainage project on G. Araneta Avenue and ordered the installation of mobile pumps while the pumping station at E. Rodriguez Avenue is not yet finished. The department also ordered the continuous dredging and cleaning of the San Juan River.Dizon said the DPWH, together with local governments, continues to clean, dredge and desilt rivers, canals and other waterways in Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Naga, Cebu, Bacolod, Ilocos and Maguindanao as part of the OKB to ensure that waterways are smooth and free of obstructions before the rainy season arrives.”The government is working to expedite waterway improvement. Once completed, floodwaters are likely to recede faster,” he said.Dizon said the DPWH is undergoing similar works in many other parts of the country in line with government efforts to address perennial flooding in low-lying areas.”The president said we need to speed up the work because come June, it will rain again, there will be flooding again. So now, that’s what we are really doing; our work is continuous so that we can ensure that these projects are completed quickly,” Dizon added.”Oplan Kontra Baha not only focuses on dredging but also includes the implementation of science-based projects, clearing of illegal structures in waterways and the strict enforcement of proper solid waste management in collaboration with local government units,” he said.
