Camille Naredo

Rescue operations in the town of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro. Handout/MDRRMO NAUJAN

Rescue operations in the town of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro.

Article (news)

NAUJAN

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764659151592viber_image_2025-12-02_14-49-07-882.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rescue operations in the town of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro. Handout/MDRRMO NAUJAN" width="960"/>Rescue operations in the town of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro. Handout/MDRRMO NAUJAN</div>MANILA -- The municipality of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a state of calamity after experiencing the worst flooding this year, following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Verbena.According to the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), 45 out of the 70 barangays in Naujan were submerged after rivers overflowed, particularly the Mag-Asawang Tubig River.With the state of calamity declaration, the local government is now authorized to utilize its calamity fund to expedite aid for flood-affected residents, especially farmers.Across Oriental Mindoro, 95 barangays were hit by floods, with the agriculture sector suffering the heaviest damage—recording losses of P58 million.Flooding has long been a persistent problem in the province whenever rivers overflow, especially the largest, the Mag-Asawang Tubig River.A key solution proposed over the years has been the construction of flood control projects.However, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro have become highly controversial amid allegations that the billions of pesos allocated for these by the government were lost to corruption.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/25/oriental-mindoro-town-vice-mayor-denies-harboring-dpwh-exec-arrested-in-her-qc-apartment-1000">READ: Oriental Mindoro town Vice Mayor denies harboring DPWH exec arrested in her QC apartment</a></div>Based on the joint investigation of the provincial government and the DPWH, many of the constructed flood control projects were either substandard or non-existent.Several DPWH Mimaropa personnel—including the regional director—are now detained in connection with one of the alleged substandard flood-control structures along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan.Authorities are also searching for officials of Sunwest Inc., the contractor behind the questioned project.For Oriental Mindoro PDRRMO Head Vincent Gahol, it is impossible not to blame the substandard and defective flood-control projects for the severe flooding that once again devastated the province.&quot;Yung bilyon-bilyon na sinabing dinala dito sa Oriental Mindoro, tingin namin sa part ng mga responder, sana hindi na kami nagreresponde, sana hindi na kami nagrerescue kung talagang maayos ang mga pagkakagawa ng mga flood control na ito,&quot; Gahol said.Gahol also expressed frustration over what he described as the government’s neglect of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) workers, whose lives are repeatedly placed in danger.&quot;Kami nga nananawagan na yung magna carta ng mga DRRM workers, ipatupad na. Pero hanggang ngayon naninimot kami, wala kami mga hazard pay, overtime,&quot; he stressed.At the height of Tropical Storm Verbena, rescue teams braved raging floodwaters to save trapped residents.A total of 14,268 families, or 51,720 individuals, were affected by the flooding in Oriental Mindoro during the storm.

The municipality of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a state of calamity after experiencing the worst flooding this year, following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Verbena.

The municipality of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a state of calamity after experiencing the worst flooding this year, following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Verbena.

Flood-hit Naujan town placed under state of calamity

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Flood-hit Naujan town placed under state of calamity

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 02, 2025 03:06 PM PHT

Read More:

Oriental Mindoro

Naujan

flood

state of calamity

flood control project

VerbenaPH

tropical storm Verbena

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