Only 14 percent of the P352 billion intended for the 23-year flood control masterplan for Metro Manila has been allocated since the project began in 2012, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The 23-year masterplan is intended to be completed by 2035 in order to reduce flooding in the metropolis.
“Malayo-layo pa po yung aming tatahakin para po maimplement yung kabuuan ng masterplan (There is still a long way to go for us to be able to implement the entire masterplan),” DPWH Engineer Lydia Aguilar said at a Senate hearing on the status of flood control projects for Metro Manila.
Patrick Gatan, project director of the DPWH’s flood control management cluster, said this was due to the fact that the department has to fund not just flood control projects in Metro Manila, but also in other parts of the country.
The budget for flood control is limited, and the department just identifies the priority projects and programs funds for these, said Gatan.
The DPWH’s absorptive capacity is likewise a factor, said Aguilar.
Gatan also said the DPWH could not easily undertake certain flood control activities such as fixing drainage systems because of the traffic jams these would cause.
The projects under the masterplan include the rehabilitation of pumping stations and drainage channels, the construction of dams and road dikes, and river improvements.
The 14 percent allocated already covers projects for 2019 under the Metro Manila flood control masterplan.
Metro Manila experienced massive flooding due to recent heavy monsoon rains, which submerged and paralyzed many areas of the metropolis. /je