Palace: Gov’t remains open to national flood control master plan

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday said the national flood control master plan remains on the table despite the major river basin plan being pushed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

During Wednesday’s House Committee on Appropriations hearing on the DPWH budget, Secretary Vince Dizon said there is still no national plan for flood control and drainage.

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“Hindi po sinasara ng administrasyon ang patungkol sa master plan, pero still dapat lahat itong aralin kung ano ang mas makakabuti sa ating bansa, kung paano mas matutugunan ang problema sa pagbaha, lalung-lalo na kung talagang napakalakas ng buhos ng ulan,” said Palace press officer Claire Castro when asked if the government still has a coordinated approach in addressing floodin despite the lack of a master plan.

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(The administration is not closing the door on the master plan, but still, everything should be carefully studied to determine what would be most beneficial for our country and how we can better address the flooding problem, especially when there is extremely heavy rainfall.)

“So, lahat ng plano na puwedeng gamitin para matugunan ang problema sa pagbaha ay puwede namang gamitin sabay-sabay. Gawing sabay-sabay nang hindi naman magkakaroon ng problema,” she added.

(So, all the plans that can be used to address the flooding problem can be implemented simultaneously, as long as they do not create any conflicts or problems.)

Castro also reacted to Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte’s challenge to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to review DPWH records first before declaring Davao City the “epicenter” of flood control corruption during the Duterte administration.

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Rep. Duterte said he has documents proving that the flood control projects under his leadership had been completed.

“Kung anuman po ang sinabi ni Ombudsman Boying Remulla, iyan po ay kaniyang mensahe at wala pong—hindi manghihimasok ang Ehekutibo dahil ang Ombudsman ay alam naman natin pong independent body,” she said.

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(Whatever Ombudsman Boying Remulla said is his own message, and the Executive Branch will not interfere because, as we know, the Ombudsman is an independent body.)

“At patungkol sa kaniyang dokumento, nais po nating tanungin, maganda po iyan at makakatulong, kaya lang siya [Duterte] po yata ay pinatawag sa ICI ay hindi po siya nagsumite ng anumang statement at anumang mga dokumento at ito ay kanyang binalewala,” Castro added.

(And regarding his documents, we would like to ask about that. Those documents would certainly be helpful, but it appears that when he [Duterte] was summoned by the ICI, he did not submit any statement or documents and instead ignored the matter.)

These documents could help determine whether the flood control projects implemented in Davao City exist not only on paper but also in reality, Castro said.

She stressed that there is a big difference between having documents and having projects that can actually be seen, felt, and provide real solutions to the flooding problem.

“Lahat naman po ng lugar sa Pilipinas na binabaha ay tinutugunan ng ating pamahalaan at iyan po ang utos ng Pangulong Marcos Jr. Kaya nga po noong sumobra ang baha sa Davao City, hindi naman po nagpatumpik-tumpik ang Pangulo at si Secretary Vince Dizon, na tulungan na ang Davao City dahil malubha na rin po ang pagbaha sa Davao,” she said.

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(All areas in the Philippines affected by flooding are being aided by the government, and that is the directive of President Marcos Jr. That is why when the flooding in Davao City became severe, the President and Secretary Vince Dizon did not hesitate to take action and immediately extended assistance to Davao City, as the flooding had already become serious.) /gsg