By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
Tropical Storm Kristine will definitely be stricken off PAGASA’s revolving list of typhoon names for the devastation it brought upon the country.
As of this writing, 85 people are left dead with 41 more left unaccounted for. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said nearly 160 areas have been placed under a state of calamity, including a large part of my home region of Bicol.
The tragedy really hits home, especially after hearing families still trapped on the roofs of their houses as deadly levels of floodwater remained stagnant two days after Kristine exited the country.
Firing Line is appealing to the President, who, it seems, has already gone out of his way to display concern without malice or political vendetta in coming to the aid of our region—the bailiwick of his fiercest rival in past presidential and vice presidential elections.
I hope that Marcos’s visit to Naga City last weekend to personally check on the condition of evacuees truly went beyond optics. And that his leaving P50 million to Albay’s acting governor and P30 million to Naga City’s mayor from the Office of the President was not merely a gesture, but a clear indication of genuine commitment to help rebuild lives.
He pointed out himself that the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), initiated by his father in the 1970s, was designed to address recurring flooding in the region and improve essential infrastructure.
However unfortunate that this project was abruptly halted in 1986, Firing Line is appealing to the Chief Executive to honor the electorate that supported him in 2022 by reviving it.
The project’s revival is necessary and your muscle behind it will only show your deep understanding of the socio-economic impact of such infrastructure. The Bicol River Basin —covering Camarines Sur, Albay, and parts of Camarines Norte — serves as a crucial resource, yet recurrent flooding disrupts lives, hampers agricultural output, and obstructs economic mobility.
With this bold revival, this Marcos administration signals a serious commitment to long-term, climate-sensitive governance that can bring much-needed stability to Bicol’s vulnerable communities.
This is also an opportunity to free yourself, your family, and your administration of political strings tied to your father’s ouster in 1986 or to the Yellow and Pink factions that have long opposed your family’s return to politics.
Instead, take the high road and demonstrate that true leadership is about the people, not the politics. Prove that your commitment to Bicol is not conditional on votes or political loyalty, but on a fundamental duty to protect and uplift the nation’s vulnerable regions.
* * *
SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X. Read current and past issues of this column at http://www.thephilbiznews.com
