DPWH grilled for not coordinating on flood control projects

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta questions Department of Public Works and Highways officials during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. — Photo from Rodante Marcoleta/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — A senator grilled the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday for its supposed non-coordination with the Riverbasin Control Office, a government office mandated to integrate flood control projects in the Philippines.

Senate blue ribbon panel head Sen. Rodante Marcoleta raised his concern in a public hearing, emphasizing that the Riverbasin Control Office is excluded from the entire equation in terms of the government’s crafting the flood control projects.

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“Even if you enumerate 100 river basins to us, until and unless they are integrated with one another, which is the mandate of this office, then nothing will happen. Why is it that in the entire equation, this office did not surface? Where is it and why are we only being made aware now? It turns out you are not the regulator,” asked Marcoleta.

The panel head said the Riverbasin Control Office is mandated to integrate and harmonize various government mandates and resources in the provision of safe and clean water supply and effective flood control management for the entire country.

“This office actually has such a huge mandate. You (DPWH) just keep making projects, and you (Department of Budget and Management or DBM) keep giving out funds, but the office that is supposed to integrate and connect all your flood control projects is apparently asleep. It turns out you don’t even consult them, and you don’t even know them,” said Marcoleta.

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The target of Marcoleta’s ire was DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan, who admitted that there is, indeed, no coordination between the DPWH and Riverbasin Control Office.

“Unfortunately, this is one of the challenges that we have to face — the coordination seems not to be really in the right place — I admit that we did not have any significant coordination at this point in time,” said Bonoan.

This further irked Marcoleta, who underscored that with this setup, nothing will really happen to the government’s flood control program.

“This is why this is happening. In the next hearing, we would like to know from this office why it has not coordinated with the DPWH, DBM, and all agencies that have something to do with solving flooding in the country,” he said. /das