At long last! PRRD VOWS TO SOLVE BICOL FLOODS BEFORE TERM ENDS

By Manny Piñol

President Rody Duterte on Friday vowed to address the perennial flooding in the Bicol Region, specifically in the province of Camarines Sur, using funds from the controversial Road Users Tax to end the problem once and for all.

The President flew to the region on Friday and conducted an aerial inspection of the flood-affected areas, including a fly-over on the town of Sagnay where some 70 lives were lost due to landslides.

During the briefing attended by almost all members of the Cabinet in Naga City, the President announced that he was determined in abolishing the Road Board which handles the disbursement and utilization of about P46-B of funds collected as Road Users Tax to address the Bicol Flooding.

During the rainy season and when typhoons and storms bring rains to the Region, the low-lying towns of Nabua, Baao, Bato, Libon and others are submerged in floodwaters destroying millions of agricultural crops, especially rice.

In the last tropical disturbance, Tropical Depression Usman, the whole Region suffered an estimated P800-million in agricultural damage, mostly rice crops.

During the Presidential briefing, Camarines Sur Cong. LRay Villafuerte pointed out that the heavily silted Bicol River is the main cause of the flooding.

The President responded by committing funds to solve the flooding before the end of his term.

He also directed both the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Agriculture to look into problems of flood in other regions of the country because of heavy river siltation.

The President said he will consider buying dredging equipment to be used by government in solving flood all over the country.

#Changeishere!

#DuterteDelivers!

#FloodsDestroyCrops!

(I took the photos of the President during the Cabinet Briefing while Mayette Tudlas took the photos of the flooding while we were flying over Camarines Sur by helicopter on Friday.)