House wants agencies to explain delay in antiflood projects

About 60 percent of flood-control projects worth P25 billion all over Metro Manila have not been fully implemented, according to Quezon City Rep. Winnie Castelo.

Castelo, chair of the House committee on Metro Manila development, said the government-funded projects could have helped prevent recent floods in Marikina City and other areas had the state agencies concerned completed these on time.

Concerned over the delay, the House of Representatives has invited the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources to a “flood summit” on Nov. 23.

Solons disappointed

“It’s very unfortunate and we’re so disappointed because the funds that Congress has allocated (have not been utilized),” Castelo told reporters on Monday.

“Some of them had not been undertaken, some were stalled and some had not been bid out despite our pleadings that they should be done before the rainy season,” he said.

Castelo added that the House had also asked the Commission on Audit and Department of Budget and Management to explain the delay in the implementation of the flood control projects.