Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is calling for the development of a comprehensive national flood management plan and a full accounting of public funds allocated for flood-control projects, as heavy monsoon rains continue to inundate communities across the country.
The enhanced southwest monsoon has triggered flooding in several parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate and disrupting classes, work, transportation, and other daily activities in the past week.
“Hindi dapat normal ang baha. Hindi dapat natatakot at nangangamba ang ating mga kababayan tuwing umuulan. Pare-parehas ang nakikita nating eksena tuwing umuulan—binabahang mga kalsada, baha na pumapasok sa mga bahay at mga eskwelahan, mga pamilyang kailangang lumikas,” he said.
“Bukod pa rito, napakalaking disruption ang baha sa buhay ng lahat. Hindi nakakapasok sa klase ang mga bata, hindi makapagbukas ang ilang negosyo, at hindi rin makapasok sa trabaho ang mga tao,” the senator added.
Pangilinan lamented how Filipinos are reduced to depending on emergency response during times of calamities, instead of the government being proactive in its flood management plans.
“Kailangan natin ng pangmatagalan at pambansang flood management plan. Dapat magkakaugnay ang ating mga proyekto at plano. Kahit gumastos tayo ng bilyon-bilyon, pero kung walang pagkakaugnay-ugnay ang ating flood control management plan, eh lulubog at lulubog pa rin ang ating mga kalsada at mga bahayan,” the lawmaker pointed out.
Acknowledging the controversies surrounding flood-control projects in the country, he also called for a complete accounting of flood-control funds—the projects funded, their locations, costs, contractors, implementation status, and actual results on the ground.
“Karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na malaman kung saan napunta ang bawat pisong inilaan para sa flood control. Dapat malinaw kung saan ito napunta at kung ano ang naging resulta. Hindi pwedeng may proyekto sa papel pero kapag umulan, binabaha pa rin ang mga tao,” Pangilinan said.
A national flood management plan, he stressed, must be preventive, science-based, transparent, and designed for long-term solutions.
He added that this must address not only present challenges, but future problems brought about by climate change and other environmental concerns.