Lopez: Stop wasting funds on ineffective flood control plans
HOUSE committee on Metro Manila development chairman and Manila 1st District Rep. Manny Lopez has told agencies in charge of implementing flood control projects not to waste billions worth of public funds on flood control projects that are not working.
In a joint hearing of his panel together with the House committee on public works and highways on Wednesday, Engr. Lydia Aguilar, Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control engineer, said the agency has been working on 11 large-scale priority projects under the P352-billion DPWH flood management master plan to address the frequent flooding in parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
However, Aguilar said only 35 percent of the fund or P123 billion has been programmed for the projects as of this year, citing the need to follow processes such as the conduct of feasibility studies.
“Despite our repeated experiences, we have not prepared properly and the flooding we experience seems to worsen each year, due to the lack of or ineffective flood- prevention infrastructure, coupled with acts of man – whether it be the exploitation or destruction of our forests and trees, the natural protection for flood, or the improper discarding of waste, especially in bodies of water,” Lopez said.
“These projects, based on our experiences, the congressmen present here and our constituents, are not working as planned. Masyadong malaki na rin po ang nagagastos natin sa maraming nakalipas na pahahon laban sa baha. Just for last year and only for Metro Manila, the Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office was allocated a total of P1,637,428,000, based on (Commission on Audit) COA’s study on MMDA’s flood control efforts,” the lawmaker from Tondo said.
As he questioned officials during the hearing, Lopez further discovered that government has spent P123 billion for the 24-year flood-control program since 2011 but lawmakers present lamented that these projects seemed to be ineffective.
“Notwithstanding such huge sums of money spent in trying to solve and finding an end to the country’s flooding problem, we continue to see the devastation caused by flooding in various cities and regions, all across our country. And for those, our fellow countrymen, who are the actual victims, the devastation they experience is much, much morethan what we just see,” Lopez said.
“Sa kabila ng mga bilyon na ginastos, talo pa rin po ang mga taumbayan. Let us stop wasting billions of public funds on ineffective flood-control projects,” he said.
The twin panels tackled Rep. Stella Quimbo’s House Bill (HB) No. 8075, which proposes the establishment of a 10-year National Flood Management Masterplan, taking into consideration and assessing the existing 2012 Flood Control Masterplan, expanding its coverage, and identify targets and reforms necessary for its proper implementation so as to put an end to our country’s continuing problem on flooding and, more importantly, avoid the destruction brought about by it.
The bill seeks the creation of an Inter-Agency Task Force, to include technical experts, to ensure and oversee that the adopted Flood Masterplan is properly carried out.
Lopez showed support for the measure, he also cautioned that there is still need to get more information, studies, data, and opinions on the matter, to ensure that all important provisions that will this much-needed Bill doable, effective and lasting are incorporated and not left out.
“We cannot afford, especially at this time, to waste public funds and must see to it that these funds are spent only on projects that are carefully and well-planned and effective, especially on a long-term basis. Otherwise, we will be doing a disservice to the very people who put us in the positions we currently occupy,” Lopez underscored.
