Flood Control Projects Face Budget Cuts and Delays
MANILA, Philippines — Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan expressed concern over budget cuts affecting flood control projects in the country. He revealed that some projects were added only after the General Appropriations Act (GAA) was passed, complicating their timely execution.
This issue arose following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for the agency to present a comprehensive list of all flood control projects under his administration. The goal is to identify which projects are complete, ongoing, or potentially ghost projects.
In a recent televised interview, Bonoan emphasized that many flood control projects were well-designed. However, funding for essential project preparation and engineering was often slashed to the bare minimum.
“Many flood control projects were properly engineered. Even before, our budget for project preparation and engineering would often disappear or be cut down to the barest minimum—but we still did our best to implement them,” he said during a DZMM interview.
He added, “But there are actually mga projects kasi that would just come about after the General Appropriations Act, nadadagdag nang nadadagdag. These are hastily prepared; some of them are hastily prepared. So these are the challenges that we’ve been facing.”
DPWH Budget and Project Challenges
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) holds the second-largest budget in the 2025 GAA, with P1.007 trillion, just behind the Department of Education’s P1.055 trillion. However, President Marcos vetoed at least P16.7 billion worth of flood control projects nationwide under this year’s P6.326 trillion national budget.
These vetoed funds included allocations for flood mitigation structures and drainage systems (P4.58 billion), maintenance within major river basins and principal rivers (P2.88 billion), and rehabilitation of water supply and sewerage systems (P182.7 million), among others.
Bonoan also reflected on the state of flooding issues when he assumed office. “Nadatnan namin talaga matindi ang pangangailangan natin sa pag-address ng flood control dito sa ating bansa,” he said, expressing relief that President Marcos highlighted flood control during his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“We did not inherit a bed of roses. Over time, we’ve seen that much more remains to be done on flood control projects,” he added.
Rivers and Flooding Concerns
He lamented the poor condition of silted rivers, which worsen flooding during heavy rains. “Nobody, I think, has ever looked into that problem,” he remarked.
Bonoan assured that the DPWH will comply with the President’s order to submit a full accounting of flood control projects. “Our monitoring of all the department’s projects is computerized anyway. It’s just a matter of pulling the data from each district or region, including the categories, the cost, and the current status.”
Corruption and Project Execution Issues Highlighted
In his SONA, President Marcos criticized the poor execution of many flood control projects, which contributed to severe flooding during the southwest monsoon (habagat) and recent tropical cyclones.
“Wag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkakaraket sa mga proyekto. Mga kickback, initiative, errata, SOP, “for the boys,” he said, referring to corrupt officials and contractors.
He warned those who steal public funds: “Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa baha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak natin na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo, na binulsa niyo lang ang pera.”
Recent Flooding Toll and Final Thoughts
According to recent data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the death toll from the recent heavy rains and floods has risen to 34. Seven people remain missing, while 18 others were injured.
For more news and updates on flood control projects, visit Filipinokami.com.
