Integrated Naga River Revitalization Project

Key City Development Issues

The Naga River in the City of Naga has been intrinsically linked to the city’s historical and cultural growth. Each year, millions of devotees attend a 10-day fluvial festival to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary along the river. Despite its sanctity, the river has become polluted and unsafe largely due to the city’s underdeveloped drainage and solid waste management systems. In 2010, the city formulated its “Comprehensive Development Plan 2010-2020,” which outlined the river’s restoration project. Its main aims included revitalizing the river through fostering a better water pollution control and greenway development systems. Located in the center of the country’s typhoon belt, the city is susceptible to flooding due to the overflowing of the Naga River. When the river floods, the city’s economy, as well as the lives of its residents are significantly put in danger.

Details of Cooperation

In February 2011, the CDIA approved the city government’s application to support the planning and formulation of the Integrated Naga River Development Project (INRRP). Specifically, CDIA assisted the city in the following: (i) development of the city’s integrated infrastructure investment program; and (ii) formulation of pre-feasibility study (PFS) on key infrastructure components of INRRP, namely: flood prevention; river transportation systems; riverwalk; sanitation, solid waste management system, and the Isla Sison Redevelopment

Expected Development Outcomes

Once completed, the flood prevention project will benefit approximately 20,000 households (40% of which are poor) in terms of improved hygiene and reduced risks from flood-induced diseases. River quality is likewise expected to improve with the completion of other INRRP projects such as the riverwalk, sanitation and solid waste management projects.