1.2-M Filipinos to benefit from P352-B flood control master plan – Singson

MANILA, Philippines – Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson on Wednesday said that the P350 billion flood control master plan could benefit more than a million Filipinos.

“We will definitely improve the flood situation and mitigate the impact. Our assessment is that as much as about  1.2 million people could definitely feel the effect of this flood management master plan…,” Singson said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer.

“If you don’t do this project floods will continue to hound us; we need to do something about this,” Singson added.

Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

The DPWH master plan, which calls for at least P351.72 billion in infrastructure spending, covers a total of 11 infrastructure projects. The plan had been approved by the National Economic and Development Board (NEDA) on Tuesday with the initial allocation of P5 billion.

Singson said that with the approval of the budget, they were now set to undergo details about the pre-construction like engineering and bidding.

He added that a lot of the engineering interventions would require cleaning of the waterways that “could not be done right away.”