July 23, 2025
By Hanz Efren G. Abantao II
Editorial Cartoon by Jairus Caden A. Accad
Long-term and efficient flood control is now a necessity. It is only the start of the rainy season and Typhoon Crising has already left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), yet floods in cities, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR), remain.
Heavy rainfall from the enhanced southwest monsoon, Habagat, and several occurring weather systems have led to the overflowing of different dams in Luzon. Public announcements from different public information offices (PIOs) of local government units (LGUs) show that floods have already reached gutter deep, knee deep, and chest deep to the extent that roads and areas have been submerged in NCR. Authorities from the local and national government must take responsibility to mitigate the cyclic nature of floods in the country.
The slow suspension of classes in NCR have led to many students traversing flooded areas. This is mainly due to the lack of coordination and timely response from both the national and local governments. The recurring floods yearly, especially the submergence of different areas, question the capability of elected local officials on properly managed flood control.
With several weather systems and a monsoon at the start of the rainy season, floods have already submerged roads, homes, and public areas.
Now, the crux of the issue regarding flood control is due to the lack of oversight from the government and its agencies. Poorly-made decisions, inefficient and inconsistent measures, and ineffective management has allowed floods to become more destructive each year.
For context, flood control projects are delegated to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). This involves the construction and rehabilitation of flood control areas and basic or sustainable infrastructure.
Flood control is often scrutinized in Philippine budget deliberations. With last year’s Super Typhoon Carina, the Senate questioned the 255 billion-peso budget allocation for DPWH, a fund considered large when compared to other sectors. By then, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vetoed 16.7 billion pesos worth of flood control projects under the 2025 budget, cutting projects for NCR, Region 1, Region 4A, Region 4B, Region 5, Region 6, and Region 7 due to what he considered ambiguous projects that were not implementation-ready. Education remained the president’s top priority for the 2025 budget.
However, the president believes that higher flood walls and aggressive reforestation programs are key as long-term solutions to the issues of flood control. Still, the president downplays the complexity of the issue regarding flood control. The national government’s inconsistent and changing policies and appropriations along with other priorities hinder the development of solutions.
Likewise, the DPWH in its implementation of flood control reveals declining oversight from authorities even when a task force against corruption is present within the government department. The lack of coordination between national and local governments fails in bringing adequate and timely services and mandates.
It is not only the capacity for action where the government fails. The country also fails to control the urbanization occurring in rural areas, especially its conversion to commercial, industrial, and residential areas. While those things occur, losses in agriculture and infrastructure only pile up.
What is worse is the negligence and ignorance. Building upon their flawed concept of “resilience,” many authorities provide short-term assistance over long-term and concrete solutions. Heavy rainfall and flooding is accepted as if it is a new normal.
It is time then to consider flood control as a top priority encompassing different sectors, both public and private. As a country prone to natural disasters, there is the need to identify weaknesses and scrutinize departments, agencies, and local government units on the part of both congress and the people. Before working through the idealisms of the sustainable development goals such as zero hunger, no poverty, quality education, and gender equality, the Philippines must be a conducive environment where every individual and family would feel secure in their homes, knowing that the risks of calamities are mitigated.
Different sectors of Philippine society should make an effort to create a unified long-term policy in dealing effectively with the issue of floods. Coordination between the national and local government should be streamlined to produce real results.
Class and government work suspensions should be early. Different departments should work with local government units to create faster dissemination of announcements.
Oversight should be judiciously and zealously applied by both politicians and day-to-day citizens affected by floods. It is time to make the effort to make a robust flood control system a reality.
The issue of flood control is indeed a complex issue requiring the cooperation of society in general. The lackluster measures of government ought to be transformed into efficient measures combining different sectors. As the issue develops further as it is only starting, one ought not downplay the ramifications of continued ignorance and negligence. The government should efficiently be in control of the flood control.
References:
Baroña, F. J. C., Fuentes, K. J., Danio, J. D., Cua, A. J. S., Vergara, B. L., Visaya, V. J., Palangchao, H., & Philippine News Agency. (2025, July 20).
Crising triggers massive flooding. The Manila Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/20/news/national/crising-triggers-massive-
Beltran, M. (2024, September 19). Battered by typhoons: Why aren’t Philippine flood control projects working? Aljazeera.
Bordey, H. (2024, July 25). ‘San napunta ‘yung pera?’: Senators question flood control projects amid billions of annual budgets. GMA News
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). (2020, October 20). Villar creates task force vs graft and corruption.
Felipe, C. S. (2024, October 26). Accountability sought in flood control budgets. PhilStar Global.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/10/26/2395422/accountability-sought-flood-control-budgets
Gita-Carlos, R. A. (2024, September 25). PBBM: Higher flood walls, aggressive reforestation to control flooding. Philippine News Agency
GMA Integrated News. (2025, July 20). PAGASA: Three Luzon dams open gates to release water. GMA News Online.
Panti, Llanesca T. (2024, December 31). Marcos removes P16.7B worth of flood control projects in 2025 budget. GMA News Online.
Lacuata, R. C. (2025, July 21). La Mesa Dam overflows; Ipo Dam releases water. ABS-CBN News. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-
traffic/2025/7/21/la-mesa-dam-nears-spilling-level-ipo-dam-releases-water-1025
20th Congress: Senate of the Philippines. (2024, October 28). Senate to scrutinize flood control programs in 2025 budget.
https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2024/1028_escudero1.asp