SENATE President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero on Thursday called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to put an end to chronic flooding in Metro Manila after Typhoon Carina and southwest monsoon or “habagat” submerged the nation’s capital region and brought it to a halt.
The Senate chief also wants a thorough investigation into the government’s flood control projects in light of the severe flooding despite the multibillion-peso allocation every year.
“With Metro Manila now under a state of calamity and the government now working to address the damage wrought by Typhoon Carina, we should also work to determine why–over a decade after Typhoon Ondoy–chronic, severe flooding continues to afflict the nation’s capital,” Escudero pointed out.
He added: “Swaths of NCR are flooded so work and classes are suspended; we deploy our frontliners who rescue and evacuate affected families; generous volunteers and groups organize donation efforts and distribute aid; after the rains end, we assess the costs of the damage and evacuees are sent home. Repeat.”
Escudero emphasized that this repetitive cycle is a painful reality that cannot be accepted, particularly given the economic significance of Metro Manila and its role as the seat of government.
“Ganito na lang ba palagi? Tatanggapin na lang natin na kapag malakas ang ulan, magbabaha at mapaparalisa ang ikot ng buhay natin? Anong nangyari sa ‘building back better’?” Escudero asked.
Escudero said the DPWH and MMDA must collaborate with local government units in inspecting flooded areas to recommend medium- and long-term solutions to prevent and avoid flooding.
“We cannot control the severity and frequency of typhoons and heavy rains, but we must anticipate, adjust, and adapt so that extreme weather phenomena do not unnecessarily disrupt the lives of our kababayan. Sana ang problema na kinagisnan ng ating mga lola at lolo ay ‘wag nang ipamana sa ating mga apo,” Escudero said.
At the same time, the Senate President questioned the effectiveness of flood control measures and the use of the substantial budget allocated for these projects.
Approximately P255 billion was allocated for the DPWH’s flood control projects in the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024, which Escudero previously criticized as disproportionately large compared to other critical sectors.
“Anong nangyari sa daan-bilyon na flood control projects ng DPWH, MMDA at mga lokal na pamahalaan?” Escudero asked.
Escudero said the Senate Committee on Public Works, chaired by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., will conduct an inquiry to uncover the reasons behind the apparent inefficacy of the flood control projects despite the substantial funding.
He said the inquiry aims to assess the current state of the flood control systems and develop actionable solutions to ensure that the substantial investments in these projects yield the intended results–protecting communities from flooding and mitigating the impact of severe weather events.
During last year’s budget deliberations, Escudero noted that the P255 billion budget for flood control far exceeded the allocations for irrigation (P31 billion), the construction of new hospitals, and even the capital outlay budgets of the Department of Agriculture (P40.13 billion) and the Department of Health (P24.57 billion).
He also pointed out that the flood control budget surpasses the proposed budgets of entire departments, including the Department of National Defense (P232.2 billion) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (P209.9 billion).
