Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Malacañang said the Marcos administration is still open for an overall flood control plan but emphasized the need for a thorough study to identify the best approach in resolving the persistent problem of flooding in the country. This comes after Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed in a congressional budget hearing that there is no consolidated national plan on flood control and drainage as the strategy of the department in past years are masterplans per river basin. “So, tingnan po natin, dahil ang tinitingnan din po kung ano ang daan, kung ano ang topography ng ating bansa kung saan mas mabuti,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing Thursday, August 27.“Hindi po sinasara ng administrasyon ang patungkol sa masterplan, pero still dapat lahat itong aralin kung ano ang mas makakabuti sa ating bansa, kung paano mas matutugunan ang problema sa pagbaha, lalong-lalo na kung talagang napakalakas ng buhos ng ulan,” she added.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/dpwh-seeks-p83-84-billion-for-locally-funded-flood-control-says-no-leadership-fund-in-2027-1538">DPWH seeks P83.84-B for locally-funded flood control, says no ‘leadership fund’ in 2027 budget </a> </div>Castro also pointed out that there was a supposed masterplan during then-President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino’s term but was not implemented.“So, at ngayon ito daw ay—ang kopya ang naiwan diumano sa panahon ni dating Pangulong Duterte. Pero, sa huli kong pakikipag-usap pa kay Secretary Bonoan noon, ang sabi po niya, noong tinanong po natin itong masterplan na ito ay wala daw po silang natanggap,” she said.“So, ngayon, ang pinapairal po ng DPWH inaaral muna ang—kumbaga aayusin po ang flood control, per major river basin plan at iyon ang nakikita nila sa ngayon na ugma or tugma sa pinaka-lokasyon ng ating bansa,” the Palace official noted. Castro said they are open to implement all solutions available that would be proven effective. “So, lahat ng plano na puwedeng gamitin para matugunan ang problema sa pagbaha ay puwede namang gamiting sabay-sabay. Gawing sabay-sabay nang hindi naman magkakaroon ng problema,” she said.‘DAPAT NOON PA’ Castro also criticized Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte who earlier slammed Ombudsman Boying Remulla for calling Davao City an “epicenter” of flood control projects before the Marcos administration.In a Facebook post, Duterte urged Remulla to check the DPWH records first which showed completed projects covering 2020–2022 that he said was furnished to him by the agency’s office in Davao Region when he started his tenure as Davao City’s 1st District congressman in 2019. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/26/dpwh-10-alleged-ghost-flood-control-projects-in-bulacan-davao-occidental-identified-so-far-1842">DPWH: 10 alleged ‘ghost’ flood control projects in Bulacan, Davao Occidental identified so far </a> </div>“Kung wala kayo, sabihin ninyo at padadalhan ko kayo. Para pareho tayong may binabasang dokumento bago magbitiw ng mabibigat na akusasyon,” he said.“Noon pa, dapat noon pa. Siya naman po ang nagboluntaryo, may mga dokumento siya para patunayan na kumpleto ang flood control projects na kaniyang ginawa. So, dapat noon pa,” Castro said when asked if she is asking the lawmaker to present such documents. The Palace official also claimed that Duterte did not submit the documents he claimed he possesses when he was summoned by the now defunct Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) that probed flood control anomalies. “Eh matagal na po siyang hinahanap at that time ng ICI, at wala naman siyang sinumite. Mas maganda po kung nasumite niya ito, mas nakatulong kasi makikita siguro na sampung taon na walang dredging sa Davao City,” she added.<div> </div>

Malacañang said the Marcos administration is still open for an overall flood control plan but emphasized the need for a thorough study to identify the best approach in resolving the persistent problem of flooding in the country.

Malacañang said the Marcos administration is still open for an overall flood control plan but emphasized the need for a thorough study to identify the best approach in resolving the persistent problem of flooding in the country.

Gov’t eyes 'best approach' for national flood control plan

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Gov’t eyes 'best approach' for national flood control plan

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 27, 2026 04:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Malacanan Palace

flood control

DPWH

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