Manila: Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to justify the allocation of significant flood control funds to provinces not typically identified as top flood-prone areas.
According to Philippines News Agency, Senator Erwin Tulfo raised concerns over President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s list of flood control project recipients, which included provinces like Cebu, Isabela, Albay, Leyte, and Camarines Sur. These provinces received substantial funding despite not being in the top 10 flood-prone areas, which include Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, and Ilocos Norte.
Senator Tulfo questioned the rationale behind allocating large funds to these areas. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan explained that the allocations under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) are distributed across engineering districts nationwide, with a mandate to allocate 70 percent to core programs such as roads, bridges, and flood control. Bonoan acknowledged that additional projects often emerge in the budget due to congressional insertions during the passage of the General Appropriations Act.
Tulfo criticized the allocations to non-flood-prone areas, calling them 'a waste of money.' Bonoan concurred, admitting that the planning process should have flagged such projects. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman stated that the agency releases funds based on what Congress approves in the budget law. Pangandaman highlighted the challenge of verifying thousands of projects due to limited personnel.
Tulfo expressed concern over the lack of cross-checking mechanisms, warning that it could lead to questionable allocations. He pointed out the apparent inconsistency in funding flood control in areas that do not experience flooding.
Flood control has been a significant component of the national infrastructure budget, with allocations growing from less than PHP50 billion annually in 2010 to over PHP350 billion in recent years, totaling PHP1.4 trillion over 15 years. Despite proposals for a national flood management master plan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and other partners, implementation has been inconsistent, with major projects like the Para±aque Spillway and the Laguna de Bay dredging facing delays.
The ongoing Senate inquiry aims to assess whether flood control allocations align with hazard mapping and if funds are effectively used to protect communities.
