DPWH eyes study of Aquino admin flood control master plan

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is considering a review of flood control master plans from previous administrations, Malacañang announced Thursday. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing, citing information from Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, that the "Aquino-Singson master plan" from the Aquino administration is one of the plans that could be studied. "He also mentioned flood control master plans for major river basins. So, these will be consolidated, reviewed, and updated," Castro said. Castro added that the President also underscored the need to update plans that would respond to the effects of climate change. In 2012, the Aquino administration approved a P351-billion long-term flood management master plan to solve the flooding problem in the National Capital Region, which was considered the "most expensive and ambitious" at that time. Then-DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said that the full implementation of the flood control plan would only be realized in 2035 due to large-scale infrastructure projects involved. According to Castro, the master plan was not turned over by the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the current administration. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that the country has had a flood control master plan for decades but it has never been executed until now. When asked which master plan the President was referring to, Castro clarified, "If we talk about history, a master plan already existed as early as the 1930s or 1940s. However, this was not implemented in the decades that followed." Frequent flooding, particularly in low-lying areas of Metro Manila, is a persistent problem in the Philippines, exacerbated by underdeveloped infrastructure, inadequate urban planning, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change. The non-implementation of past master plans is likely attributable to a combination of factors including massive budget requirements, complex land acquisition processes, and poor inter-agency coordination.