By vJason Neola
NAGA CITY, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday, Feb. 21, personally inspected key waterways in the city that require de-clogging and assessed the structural condition of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum (JMR) following damages caused by recent earthquakes and typhoons.
The President was joined by Mayor Leni Robredo and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, along with heads of concerned national government agencies, in a high-level inspection that underscored coordination between Malacaรฑang and the LGU.
During the visit, President Marcos formally turned over a P500-M check to the city government, earmarked exclusively for the renovation and retrofitting of the JMR Coliseum.
The funding will transform the facility into a dual-purpose, world-class structure that will serve both as Nagaโs primary evacuation center during disasters and as a premier venue for major city events and sports competitions. The coliseum sustained structural damage in previous calamities, prompting the city to seek national assistance for its rehabilitation.
Mayor Robredo welcomed the support, saying the retrofitting will ensure the safety of evacuees and event-goers while strengthening the cityโs disaster preparedness infrastructure.
As part of โOplan Kontra Baha,โ the President, together with Secretary Dizon and Mayor Robredo, personally inspected dredging operations at Sagop Creek, one of the critical waterways contributing to flooding in nearby barangays.
The flood mitigation initiative focuses on clearing creeks and drainage systems to restore proper water flow and prevent perennial flooding, especially during heavy rains. According to reports presented during the inspection, some 2,350 cubic meters of silt and sludge have already been removed from the cityโs creek systems.
National agencies committed to fast-track complementary interventions, including continued dredging, drainage improvement, and long-term flood control planning.
The visit highlighted rare but significant collaboration between the national government under President Marcos and the Robredo-led local government of Naga.
The President was welcomed by city officials, barangay captains, department heads, and local athletes, who gathered to witness the inspection and the ceremonial turnover of funds.
The morale boost comes at a time when the city is in the thick of implementing various approaches, strategies, and innovations drawn from a series of high-level policy gatherings it recently convened, namely, the Basura Summit 2026: Naga City Solid Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability Summit, the Naga City Anti Drug Abuse Summit 2026, the Naga City Sports Stakeholders Summit 2026, and the Naga City Traffic, Transport and Mobility Summit 2026.
Recommendations and action points from these summits are now being translated into concrete programs and reforms aimed at strengthening governance, public safety, environmental protection, grassroots sports development, and urban mobility across the city.
City officials expressed optimism that the national governmentโs support will accelerate Nagaโs infrastructure recovery and reinforce its long-term resilience against natural disasters. |
