Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Pedestrians wade through gutter- to knee-deep floodwaters along España Boulevard in Manila following heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat on Monday, August 17. | via Daniel Jacob, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

RG Cruz

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787027207840778590806_1405715984827525_6492042833525869677_n.png.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Pedestrians wade through gutter- to knee-deep floodwaters along España Boulevard in Manila following heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat on August 17, 2026. Daniel Jacob, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span>MANILA — The government has spent P2 trillion on flood-control projects since 2011 but has hardly managed to control flooding, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said, as he stressed the need for a multi-administration master plan for it.</div><p>Lacson issued the statement after days of heavy rains and flooding that have triggered class and work suspensions and heavy traffic. </p><p>Citing data on Department of Public Works and Highways spending from the Aquino to Marcos Jr. administrations, Lacson said annual funding breached the P100-billion mark in 2018.</p><p>Lacson said he is worried that without a master plan or clear direction for its flood control program, the government risks wasting more taxpayers&#x27; money.</p><p>&quot;In the proposed 2027 budget, some P107 billion is earmarked for flood-control projects. A good question to ask is, how will it be spent? Are there overall programs for this? If so, where are they?&quot; he said in English and Filipino in a radio interview.</p><p>Lacson, who is on his fourth term at the Senate, said Philippine infrastructure policy has a problem with continuity. </p><p>&quot;Each administration insists on having its own plan,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/16/bill-for-infra-masterplan-pushed-to-prevent-anomalous-projects-1608"><strong>Bill for infra masterplan pushed to prevent anomalous projects<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>EVACUATION CENTERS</strong></div><p>Lacson also questioned a &quot;uniform&quot; P180-million lump sum allocation for evacuation centers in each of the country&#x27;s 17 regions as well as an apparent heavy allocation for &quot;ayuda&quot; or social services in the proposed 2027 national budget.</p><p>He said scrutiny of the National Expenditure Program — the executive&#x27;s proposed budget — showed the proposed evacuation center allocations lacked key details, including specific locations where they would be built.</p><p>&quot;Was there any study to determine if a region needed more evacuation centers? There seemed to be none.... Each of Regions 1 to 17 was simply given P180 million for a total of more than P3 billion,&quot; he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/21/denr-master-pan-to-help-address-flooding-1752"><strong>DENR master plan to help address flooding<br/></strong></a></div><p>Lacson and his staff are looking into items that may indicate the 2027 budget could become a &quot;political&quot; or &quot;election&quot; budget ahead of the 2028 national elections.</p><p>He said he also found many &quot;ayuda&quot; or &quot;social services&quot; items in the 2027 proposed budget and has tasked his staff to look closely at the items.</p><p>&quot;There&#x27;s nothing wrong with &#x27;ayuda&#x27; but we should also look at the long-term development side of how the budget is used,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The government has spent P2 trillion on flood-control projects since 2011 but has hardly managed to control flooding, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said, as he stressed the need for a multi-administration master plan for it.</p>

The government has spent P2 trillion on flood-control projects since 2011 but has hardly managed to control flooding, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said, as he stressed the need for a multi-administration master plan for it.

Lacson: Trillions spent on flood control since 2011, but where is master plan?

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Lacson: Trillions spent on flood control since 2011, but where is master plan?

RG Cruz

Published August 18, 2026 12:32 PM PHT

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Panfilo Lacson

Flood Control

Department of Public Works and Highways

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