The Department of Public Works and Highways has created a new task force, Oplan Kontra Baha, to institutionalize clearing and cleaning operations in waterways nationwide to mitigate recurring flooding.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the task force, headed by Undersecretary Charles Calima Jr., will be replicated in all 177 DPWH regional offices and will work closely with agencies such as the MMDA, DENR, DILG, and the private sector.
The group has been given six months to carry out measures, including dredging, desilting, declogging of drainage systems, and clearing of illegal structures along waterways.
The initiative follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize flood mitigation, especially in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Bacolod City.
Key projects include drainage improvements in Quezon City, dredging of the San Juan River, continued river clearing in Metro Cebu, and the cleanup of more than 160 kilometers of waterways and 116 kilometers of drainage systems in Bacolod City.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 20, 2026
