By Tracy Cabrera
MALACAÑAN, Manila — Recognizing the need for long-term solutions to address the massive flooding experienced by the country, the Marcos Jr. administration is eyeing the implementation of a ₱351-billion Flood Management Master Plan that would hopefully address the perennial problem.
Last week, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. visited several towns in Central Luzon to personally see the extent of damage wrought by recent storms and heavy rains caused by the intensified southwest monsoon, or habagat.
The President witnessed firsthand the effects of extensive flooding in Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga and other areas caused by extreme weather conditions.
During the inspections, he confirmed that a master plan already exists and that his administration will immediately execute it.
“We already have a master plan. It’s just never been executed. We’re only executing it now,” he said, noting that previous administrations had failed to implement the master plan.
The chief executive did not elaborate on why the plan was not pursued, but reiterated that his administration is already reviewing the so-called Aquino-Singson Master Plan, which was approved in 2012 by then-President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III and erstwhile Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson.
Accordingly, the DPWH is moving to update flood management master plans across the country as part of efforts to strengthen long-term flood resilience.
Public Works chief Vivencio “Vince” Dizon disclosed that measures to mitigate the flooding problem are on the table, in line with the President’s expressed instruction to improve the country’s flood resilience.
He added, however, that the flood master plans must be thoroughly studied and improved, as some plans in many areas are either outdated or incomplete, making their updating necessary in light of changing climate conditions.
“These master plans are important because they guide the engineering design of flood mitigation infrastructure. To effectively update the plans, (we) are working with the University of the Philippines–Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP-NOAH), local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies to incorporate current hazard maps and scientific data,” Dizon pointed out.
Specifically, he said the DPWH is prioritizing the updating of flood control master plans for major river basins across the country.
