Senate to DPWH: Finish flood control projects first

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on finance will not approve any new flood control projects for the upcoming fiscal year as it intends to force the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to complete unfinished works first.

Speaking to dzBB yesterday, Senate finance committee chairman JV Ejercito said the policy was necessary as the government needs to focus on closing existing infrastructure gaps rather than funding new, disjointed initiatives.

“Close the gaps, complete the uncompleted flood control projects. No new projects. Finish what needs to be finished,” Ejercito said, warning that abandoning current projects only exacerbates flooding by trapping water in incomplete catchments.

Ejercito pointed out that previous projects were funded purely for profit, even if the areas were not historically prone to flooding.

Moving forward, he said the DPWH must base its budget requests on a national master plan, ensuring that any funded intervention strictly targets the country’s top 10 flood-prone provinces and the 18 major river basins.

‘No last-minute insertions’

To further restore public trust following the flood control scandal, Ejercito vowed to put an end to the notorious practice of inserting unvetted projects into the budget at the last minute during the bicameral conference committee (bicam) meetings.

To ensure transparency, Ejercito said civil society organizations and watchdog groups like the People’s Budget Coalition will be invited to actively participate in both the budget hearings and the bicam.

Meanwhile, he dismissed rumors circulating about a “leadership fund” allegedly being offered to senators, similar to the pre-budget allocations previously given to congressmen.

“In my view, me and Senator Gatchalian, our Senate President... we are not aware of that leadership fund,” Ejercito said, stressing that neither he nor Gatchalian had availed themselves of or been offered such funds.