PBBM Kicks Off Year-Round Flood Clearing in Metro Manila; Promises Nationwide Rollout
MANILA (PNA) – November 12, 2025 – Just days after twin typhoons Tino and Uwan battered the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday launched a massive, year-round flood control campaign across Metro Manila, vowing to expand the program nationwide to boost the Philippines’ climate resilience.
Dubbed “Oplan Kontra Baha,” the initiative unifies national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and the private sector in a concerted effort to clear and clean rivers, creeks, and drainage systems that have been long clogged with garbage and debris, exacerbating flooding during storms.
Marcos, who oversaw the launch of clearing operations at Balihatar Creek in Parañaque City, emphasized the necessity of sustained action. “We will continue to do this… it will go on. Cleaning will be regular. We cannot stop,” the President stated, confirming the operation will be sustained year-round, extending far beyond the initial target of June-July next year.
The joint operation—overseen by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and partner LGUs—is set to cover 142.4 kilometers of waterways and 333.15 kilometers of drainage systems throughout the capital region. The DPWH has already included the program in its Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to ensure the waterway clearing becomes a permanent, all-year-round effort.
Marcos hailed the initiative as a “whole-of-government and whole-of-nation” effort, noting the crucial participation of private sector partners, including Ramon S. Ang of San Miguel Corp. and Manuel V. Pangilinan of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Following its implementation in the capital region, the flood control template will be replicated in other vulnerable areas across the country, with Cebu, Bacolod, Roxas City, Bulacan, and Pampanga cited as priority expansion sites.
