IN what appears to be a tweak over the President’s report regarding the 5,500 flood control programs, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) admitted that the Philippines doesn’t have any integrated flood control master plan despite huge funds allocated for such purposes.
According to DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan, the 5,500 completed flood control projects which forms part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA), were merely “band-aid solutions” which took off during the incumbency of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
These projects, he claimed, are not part of an integrated master plan.
“Ito yung immediate projects engineering interventions all over the country na di ho kasama sa master plan. Ito yung stand alone projects to provide immediate relief to low lying areas,” Bonoan was quoted as saying during a senate inquiry.
He however assured the senate that the agency is in the process of preparing master plans in 18 major river basins.
“I have taken a look at all these river basins and most of them…are still being currently updated to take into account actually the climate change phenomenon and other factors,” the DPWH boss noted.
Meanwhile, Sen. Joel Villanueva expressed surprise over Bonoan’s revelation.
“Yung 5,500 pala na programs projects na natapos na ipinagmalaki ng ating pangulo ay patsi-pasti lang. Di rin nakatulong kasi patsi-patsi nga po.”
Bonoan said several master plans in the 18 major river basins were still being prepared. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
