MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has created a task force to institutionalize the government's clearing and cleaning efforts in all waterways across the country to mitigate perennial flooding. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon disclosed on Monday that he has signed a special order, issued last Jan.14, creating Oplan Kontra Baha, headed by Undersecretary for special concerns Charles Calima Jr. Dizon said all 177 DPWH regional offices will create a similar task force. The Task Force Kontra Baha will coordinate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of the Environment and Natural Resource (DENR), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the private sector. “These agencies shall work together, in partnership with the private sector, to implement the ‘Oplan Kontra Baha: Nationwide Waterways Clearing and cleaning Operations,'” the order read. The task force will hold regular meetings with stakeholders, conduct inspections, and validation of accomplishments. Dizon gave the task force six months, or until July to accomplish its mission and thereafter submit an accomplishment report, detailing improvements, challenges, solutions, consumed resources, and targets achieved. He said that the Oplan Kontra Baha program is in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to mitigate flooding, particularly in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and in Bacolod City in the Negros Island Region.