The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has deployed a cutter suction dredge with a vegetation cutter assembly to Buluan, Maguindanao, as part of the nationwide “Oplan Kontra Baha” (OKB) flood mitigation program. The dredger, transported via a Philippine Navy vessel from Manila, arrived at Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao, this week.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the initiative follows President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s directive to enhance the rehabilitation of major waterways and prepare vulnerable communities ahead of the rainy season.

The move comes after severe flooding in August 2025 affected over 3,800 families in Buluan, forcing evacuations, including patients at Buluan District Hospital. The mouth of the Rio Grande de Mindanao was identified as a key chokepoint due to silt accumulation and water hyacinth proliferation.

Regional Director Cayamobao D. Dia confirmed that the new dredger complements nine other heavy equipment units in Buluan, including four amphibious excavators, three front-end loaders, a crawler-type excavator, and a wheel-type excavator.

The nine-month OKB operation, led by Undersecretary for Special Concerns Charles Calima and Bureau of Equipment Director Toribio Noel Ilao, began in November 2025 in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod, with the Mindanao phase launching this March. Local government units and agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will support the dredging of the 22-kilometer Buluan River to reduce flood risks.

Officials say the deployment aims to strengthen river flow, remove blockages, and ensure that communities along the Buluan River are better prepared for impending heavy rainfall.