DPWH admits lack of flood control master plan
Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan admitted the lack of a national flood control master plan at a Senate hearing on Thursday.
During the Senate hearing, Senator Imee Marcos asked: ''So there’s an admission on the part of the DPWH, that in fact, a national flood control master plan still does not exist?”
“To some extent that is correct Madame Senator” Bonoan responded.
The hearing follows massive flooding in Metro Manila due to monsoon rain that began last Tuesday until Thursday. At least eight persons were reported to have perished in floods in the metropolis, officials said.
The public works department is seeking P254 billion for its flood control program in the 2025 national budget submitted to Congress last Monday.
The government said around 5,521 flood control projects were finished.
Last Saturday, Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral told a news forum that there are '' 5,000-plus more that are ongoing''.
Bonoan said under the Marcos administration that took over in June 2022 they have continued to expand projects begun in the previous administration.
According to Bonoan, some projects represented an immediate relief for flood mitigation on low lying areas. The 5,521 projects which was reported extends from 2019 to 2023.
He added that there are 18 major river basins projects in various stages of preparations.
“Are they integrated Secretary, the masterplan?” Senator Joel Villanueva asked.
Bonoan answered that the masterplan is integrated ‘to some extent’.
“To some extent because there is an engineering component. There is a social component and there is actually an environmental component in the masterplan” he added.
Bonoan also mentioned that the feasibility study of the master plan is still ongoing. Marie Manalili/DMS
