(Contributed photo)
The Department of Public Works and Highways, San Miguel Corp. and the Apayao provincial government have launched a joint flood-control project aimed at reducing recurring flooding through dredging and waterway clearing.
The “Oplan Kontra Baha” initiative will run from September 2026 to September 2027 and cover around 12 rivers and creeks with a combined length of 57.52 kilometers.
DPWH Undersecretary Charles Calima Jr., commander of the agency’s Oplan Kontra Baha Task Force, said the project will focus on continuous dredging, desilting and clearing operations in areas identified as prone to flooding.
The Abulug River, a major waterway within the Apayao-Abulug River Basin, will be among the priority sites.
Calima said project areas were selected following assessments conducted with local officials to identify locations frequently affected by flooding during heavy rains and typhoons.
Aside from dredging and desilting, the initiative will include waterway clearing, waste collection and hauling.
SMC will provide additional heavy equipment and personnel to support the operations, while the DPWH and the Apayao provincial government will jointly oversee implementation.
The project is part of a broader flood-mitigation program involving public-private partnerships in several areas. Earlier this week, the DPWH and SMC also began dredging operations along the Gugu River in Minalin, Pampanga.
