Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged local government units to strictly enforce &quot;no build zones&quot; amid structures engulfed by raging floods in Central Luzon.</p><p>This was among the topics discussed during Marcos’ Cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon on the widespread flooding caused by heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon or Habagat.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/9/1/p1-b-agri-damage-p2-b-infra-damage-in-central-luzon-due-to-habagat-cyclones-ocd-1526">P1-B agri damage, P2-B infra damage in Central Luzon due to habagat, cyclones – OCD</a></div><p>“Ayon sa Pangulo, dapat ipatupad ang batas pati ang ‘no build zone’. Huwag nang mamulitika, ipatupad ang batas at dapat ipaliwanag sa lahat na kailangang mas maging istrikto sa pag-implementa ng batas para sa ating kaligtasan,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing Tuesday, September 1. </p><p>“Marami tayong magagandang batas pero hindi naipapatupad nang maayos dahil sa palakasan system o corruption. Hindi na ito dapat, hindi na ito maaari ayon kay Pangulong Marcos, Jr.,” she added.</p><p>In the same meeting, Marcos Jr. also underscored the urgent need to address effects of climate change, according to Castro.</p><p>“Ayon sa mga eksperto, ang isa sa mga dahilan ng walang humpay na malakas na buhos ng ulan ay climate change,” Castro said, adding that according to experts, failure to implement decades-old master plans in Metro Manila and Cebu contributed to the exacerbation of flooding incidents. </p><p>“Hindi nasunod ang mga master plan noon pang 1941 para sa Metro Manila, at 1936 para sa Cebu. Kung nasunod lamang daw ang mga ito, marami ang mga lugar na hindi dapat natayuan ng imprastraktura at ang mga lugar na bahain ang dapat nanatiling libre at walang imprastruktura para siyang tumanggap ng tubig ulan,” she added.</p><p>“Ang utos ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., huwag tayong magpakampante, maraming bansa na rin ang nakararanas ng intense monsoon, major storms, at severe flooding tulad ng Nepal, China, Laos, Pakistan, India at Kenya… Seryosohin natin ang banta ng climate change. Kahandaan ang susi para malampasan natin ang panganib nito,” Castro noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/31/14-deaths-in-2nd-round-of-habagat-up-for-verification-ocd-1709">14 deaths in 2nd round of habagat up for verification — OCD</a></div><p>Castro vowed that they will coordinate with the Climate Change Commission amid the reported concern from its leader that government agencies supposedly do not listen to their policies.</p><p>“Hindi na po mangyayari iyan dahil pagtutuunan po ng pansin ang isyu patungkol sa climate change, at iyan po ang binigyan-diin mismo ng Pangulo kahapon sa naganap na meeting,” she stated.</p><p>“Iyan po ang pinupursige ng Pangulo na dapat na malaman ng ating mga kababayan ang epekto ng climate change dahil hindi lang ito, kung ano iyong naranasan nating lakas ng ulan, biglang buhos ng tubig at baha, hindi lang ito ang maaaring mangyari dahil sa nangyayari na ang climate change. So, dapat natin itong paghandaan at lahat ng mga polisiya, batas ay dapat ipatupad – iyan ang nais ng Pangulo,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/26/up-to-7-more-tropical-cyclones-expected-through-the-end-of-2026-pagasa-1721">Up to 7 more tropical cyclones expected through the end of 2026: PAGASA</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>’SECOND-FLOOR’ HOUSES AS SOLUTION?</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Palace official also weighed in on the reported remark of Rodriguez, Rizal, Mayor Ronnie Evangelista where he proposed for residents to build two-storey houses, citing the town’s topography as a major factor in the flooding they experienced.</p><p>“Second floor? Mayroon naman tayong ibinibigay na pabahay, kumbaga mayroon tayong murang pabahay na proyekto ng Pangulo at ng DHSUD (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development). Hindi ko po makita iyong ibig niyang sabihin sa kanyang mensahe,” Castro said.</p><p>Castro also urged locals to follow the building code in the construction of their houses.</p><p>“Ito po ba sinasabi niya na dapat bigyan ng pondo para makapagpatayo ng second floor? Ito po ba ay may mga titulo? Ang mga nagpatayo po ba ng mga bahay na ito ay tumupad sa building code? Masakit man sabihin, minsan mabigat na gampanan o gawin, pero lahat po tayo, kaya po tayo may batas ay dapat tumupad sa batas, hindi po dapat na gumagawa kayo ng istruktura na hindi po naayon sa batas at lumalabas sa building code,” she said.</p><p>“So, ang tanong, si Mayor, itanong natin kay Mayor, iyong gusto po ba niyang tulungan, maganda naman ang kanyang adhikain, pero ang gusto po ba niyang tulungan ay mga taong may titulo na sa lupa, kasi kung wala pong titulo sa lupa ito, ano iyong rights nila na magpatayo, legal na aspeto po, iyon lang. Kasi kung  tutulungan natin at informal settler sila at ito po ay may ibang may-ari, malaking isyu po iyan,” Castro added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/31/thick-mud-and-debris-emerge-as-floods-recede-in-rodriguez-rizal-1822">Thick mud and debris emerge as floods recede in Rodriguez, Rizal</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JEMCeELVhP4?si=DQySLnPJwsTluzLI" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged local government units to strictly enforce "no build zones" amid structures engulfed by raging floods in various parts of Central Luzon.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged local government units to strictly enforce "no build zones" amid structures engulfed by raging floods in various parts of Central Luzon.

Marcos wants strict enforcement of ‘no build zones’, building code

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Marcos wants strict enforcement of ‘no build zones’, building code

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 01, 2026 04:31 PM PHT

Read More:

Palace

Claire Castro

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

no build zones

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