Philippines spends billions on flood projects, but disasters keep killing
MANILA, Philippines — As calls for accountability over the country’s flood control system intensify, cyclones and worsening weather conditions continue to overwhelm local communities. The contrast raises a stark question: How much has been spent to prevent floods, and how many lives have still been lost?
Since 2022, the Philippines has spent P545 billion on flood management, according to preliminary findings from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s probe. The president has personally inspected several projects, including one in Bulacan that he described as a “ghost project.”
Both chambers of Congress have opened separate inquiries into the flow of funds.
Tracking the human cost. Philstar.com reviewed death tolls from weather-related disasters using records from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) from 2022 to 2024. These include fatalities from cyclones, low-pressure areas and shear lines.
An average of 212 people have died each year since Marcos took office. The figures include all deaths reported by the NDRRMC, even those not directly linked to drowning.
Spending vs casualties per region
While the government points to billions spent, the deadliest storms reveal stark gaps between investment and outcomes.
In 2022, Western Visayas (Region 8). Cyclone Agaton claimed 187 lives—the highest death toll in a single calamity. That year, P5.59 billion had already been spent on completed projects in the region.
In 2023, Bicol (Region 5) and CAR regions reported the highest death tolls during cyclones Egay and Falcon. Bicol had spent nearly three times more on flood management with P33.23 billion versus CAR’s P11.43 billion.
In 2024, storms Kristine and Leon left 74 dead in Calabarzon, with another 32 deaths from other calamities. In total, 106 people died that year in the region, which reported P37.13 billion in completed projects.
These calculations highlight wide gaps between spending and outcomes, without accounting for deaths resulting from flood mismanagement as a whole, such as cases of leptospirosis, dengue and food poor security.
A system under scrutiny. The Department of Public Works and Highways has acknowledged the existence of “ghost projects” in the system. Lawmakers and the executive branch are pressing forward with investigations.
The issue is not whether the government has funds to mitigate floods, but whether it can spend them effectively.
Because in the end, the price of failed projects is measured not only in pesos—but in lives.
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