Sen. Joel Villanueva Speaks on Flood Control Plan in PH
JOEL VILLANUEVA – The Senator is visibly disappointed over the admission of the DPWH that the Philippines has no integretaed flood control master plan.
The Philippines is one of the countries that is usually hit by typhoons. Every year, the number of typhoons that visit the country often never fails to go below 10. The country was recently struck by Typhoon Carina.
Typhoon Carina brought heavy rains and strong winds in the Philippines and intensified the southwest monsoon. It damaged countless houses and livelihoods. Thousands of Filipino families evacuated amid the onslaught of the natural calamity.
The Metro Manila Council declared a state of calamity in the National Capital Region (NCR). Several areas outside the NCR also declared a state of calamity following the devastation caused by Typhoon Carina.
Following the deep flooding that Carina brought in several areas in the Philippines, President Bongbong Marcos called for a master plan against flooding. During the Marcos State of the Nation Address or SONA 2024 held last July 22, the Chief Executive stressed the programs and projects that the PH government has against flooding.
However, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways, the 5,500 completed flood control projects were immediate projects engineering interventions. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan admitted that those projects on flood control are not integrated on a master plan.
Bonoan stressed that the 5,500 immediate relief projects were standalone projects in low lying areas. Sen. Joel Villanueva is disappointed over the admission of the DPWH regarding the country’s flood control projects not being integrated in a master plan.
“Yung 5,500 pala na programs projects na natapos na ipinagmalaki ng ating pangulo ay patsi-patsi lang. Di rin nakatulong kasi patsi-patsi nga po,” the Senator said.
According to DPWH Sec. Manny Bonoan, there are several master plans on flood control that are being prepared but he still has to check on the river basins. Based on the report, he stressed that the river basins are being updated due to certain factors like the climate change phenomenon.
Bonoan claimed that “there have been master plans before that were carried out” and they are currently being updated. From his statements, Sen. Joel Villanueva concluded that an integrated master plan for flood control is not existing in PH now.
“I think it’s very telling that the master plan, the integrated master plan, is not in existence,” the Senator said.