Flood control projects on track – DPWH

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration’s flood control projects are progressing, although some small ones are facing delays, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan made the statement during a press briefing at Malacañang yesterday, in response to a Senate panel’s announcement that it would look into the recent floodings spawned by the southwest monsoon and Super Typhoon Egay.

“We’ve just been in this administration for one year and the projects we are implementing for flood control under the 2023 budget are ongoing,” Bonoan said.

“I think they have quoted actually the total amount of about P180 billion. That amount is distributed all over the country, and these are ongoing and on track actually... In our budget, we have two years to implement all these projects,” he said.

Bonoan admitted that some small projects had been delayed because of right-of-way issues and weather disturbances.?

“These are but natural and you can cope within the next two years or so,” he said.

On Monday, the Senate public works committee said it would conduct hearings to examine the country’s flood control efforts and programs.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., chair of the committee, said officials of the DPWH and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority would be asked to explain why flooding seems to worsen despite the hundreds of billions of pesos allocated to flood control projects.

He said he was expecting agencies to report on the country’s implementation and compliance with the flood control master plan formulated through the World Bank.

The hearing is expected to cover regulations and policies involving the accountability of private and public contractors who damage drainage facilities and waterways, the senator added.

At the same press briefing, Bonoan said President Marcos directed the DPWH to solve the flooding of a portion of the North Luzon Expressway bridge that links the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.

He said Marcos considered the project an urgent matter that he would personally attend to.