Representative Biazon wants probe on P325-B flood-control project

Representative Rodolfo Biazon. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo Biazon on Thursday filed a resolution urging the House committee on national defense and security, for which he stood as chair, to look into the P352 billion being eyed by the government for a flood management master plan for Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson clarified that the amount was a shopping list of long-term structural mitigation measures.

In a statement, the lawmaker said that he filed House Resolution 2679 due to the “need to assure our people that this flood control plan and the projects that are going to be undertaken in support of this plan and the projects that are going to be undertaken in support of this plan are based on a wholistic study.”

He said that the plan should “consider some factors such as changing weather patterns, changed topography of areas due to urbanization and development, forest denudation and even such concerns as the creation of new employment centers in order to decongest existing urban centers.”

The country has recently been battered with several weather disturbances, with monsoon rains surprisingly wreaking much more devastation than actual storms. Half of Metro Manila as well as several nearby provinces were inundated by massive flooding spawned by intense monsoon rains, causing many to be displaced from their homes.

Citing data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Biazon said that a total of 56 cities or municipalities from the National Capital Region, Regions III and IV-A were affected by the monsoon rains. He said that 95 persons have been reported dead, 11 injured and seven others remain missing after the weather disturbance.

Torrential rains brought about by the southwest monsoon incurred an estimated P639,128,230 worth of damage to infrastructure, P1,624,410,815.14 to agriculture—a total of P2,263,539,045.14 in cost of damages.

Biazon said that he supported the said plan, which was why he sought an inquiry into the funding to ensure like areas which are perennially affected by flooding like his district would benefit from it.