Davao solon seeks more flood control projects: Sort good ones from bad

MANILA, Philippines — Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora has appealed for more flood control projects as these measures were effective in mitigating flooding after heavy rains due to a shear line affecting huge portions of Mindanao.

In a statement over the weekend, Zamora said she is “proud” to say that the flood control projects in her district withstood and helped address the flood — when in the past, a few days’ worth of rain would submerge Kalaw Bridge which moves over Agusan River.

According to Zamora, the area around Kalaw Bridge in the municipality of Monkayo serves as a catch basin as water from upland areas converge there, leading to floods during heavy rains. 

“We’re proud to say that our flood control projects here in our district helped control the flood.  We can say that somehow, there has been an improvement,” Zamora, speaking Filipino and English, said on Sunday. 

However, Zamora warned that several projects are not yet finished, which may need attention.

The lawmaker admitted that the pace of the projects may have been affected by the flood control issue affecting the country — which should prompt policymakers to distinguish between “problematic works elsewhere and functioning infrastructure.”

“What we are afraid of is that if there are really strong rains, and there are unfinished projects, the whole system might fail.  Because of course, there are portions where water would pass through, because there are vacant spaces,” she said in Filipino.

“I hope they will see our situation here and that the flood control projects here really helped us, in this part of our region,” she added.

The Davao region was one of the areas scrutinized over flood control issues.  The graft and malversation complaints filed against contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, regarding ghost flood control items, involved the P96.5-million project in Davao Occidental that was fully paid but never built.

READ: Ombudsman files graft, malversation raps vs Sarah Discaya, et al.

Previously, lawmakers also called out Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte and other Davao lawmakers as flooding remains a perennial problem even with the huge funds allocated to flood control projects.

Last November 2025, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said several flood control projects in Davao Region and Davao City merit a deeper investigation, as most of the projects started way beyond their target completion date.

Ridon presented photos of several flood control initiatives in Davao Occidental and Davao City, which have not been finished yet, and classified them according to four categories — no structure or possibly ghost projects, incomplete, poorly situated and unconstructed

According to the lawmaker, who is co-chair of the House of Representatives’ infrastructure committee, they checked on the projects in the area after the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) found out that there are questionable projects, due to residents’ complaints about flooding despite these structures.

READ: Many anti-flood projects in Davao are unfinished, poorly-situated – Ridon

The highlight on anomalous infrastructure projects came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address, condemned government officials and contractors who allegedly earned kickbacks, adding that they should be ashamed of themselves.

READ: Sona 2025: Marcos on corrupt people in flood control deals: ‘Shame on you’

Eventually, Marcos released a list of contractors, and observers were quick to establish links between contractors and lawmakers and other politicians like Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co — who also resigned from his post last September 29.

This information led to investigations from both the House and the Senate, and eventually, one conducted by the ICI.  The probe has led to cases like the one filed against the Discayas, and the other case against former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. over the P92.8 million Bulacan flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. /jpv