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More questions for Marcos: Senator Imee Marcos raises questions about the country’s perennial flooding during a public hearing of the Committee on Public Works on August 1, 2024. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau).
MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Thursday grilled Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Manuel Bonoyon over the lack of a comprehensive national flood control master plan despite the country’s perennial flooding problems.
During a hearing of the Senate Public Works Committee, Bonoan said “several master plans” exist for 18 major river basins that are in various stages of preparation.
“I looked at all these river basins and the master plans for most of them are still being updated at the moment, taking into account the phenomenon of climate change and other factors that have to be incorporated into the master plan,” he added.
This did not please Senator Imee Marcos.
“So the Department of Public Works and Highways admits that, in fact, the National Flood Master Plan still doesn’t exist? Is that right? Because these are all separate, there are 18 of them. These are not integrated together. This is not even consistent with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, even our local government units have their own plans. Is that right?” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“But you also acknowledge that these measures are at different stages of preparation and in many cases are not integrated, so are they focusing on flood-prone areas to implement social mitigation measures?”
“Also, for the environment, are the interventions already provided or are we still in the process of studying them? As your submission in the National Expenditure Plan (NEP) shows, most are just feasibility studies. Which of them are complete and comprehensive?” she added.
Bonnoan said the master plan is being updated.
read: Villanueva urges Marcos to deal with floods as seriously as he dealt with gaming
Marcos noted that some master plans were already underway in the 1970s.
“We know there was the Metropolitan Manila Flood Control System back in 1972, we know there were environmental codes, building codes, and the Clean Water Act. There was even a Supreme Court order to ‘unify all of this,’ but we haven’t got anything except dolomite beaches, have we?” she said.
“So I want to ask, if there is no master plan, where are the billions of dollars going to be allocated? How do you select the projects? Are there guidelines or parameters? Every time you submit a request for billions of dollars, if there is no comprehensive master plan for the entire country, where do you allocate it?” she added.
At this point, Senator Joel Villanueva chimed in. He said it was telling that there was no comprehensive flood control master plan in place until now.
Marcos referred to the plans as “pirapiraso” (pieces of debris), adding that this is how floodwaters usually end up in Bulacan province.
Villanueva agreed with Marcos.
“This is very important. Because even if you use another method like the one mentioned here, the water flow rate in Metro Manila will decrease, which is good for people living in the metropolitan area, but it looks like the water still ends up in our area (Bulacan),” he said.
“I understand what Senator Ime means. If there is no integration, if you implement it in one place, then the other side, the other province, the other town, the other village will be submerged,” he added.
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read: Joel Villanueva: Past land reclamation exacerbated flooding in Bulacan
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