Flood control, climate-tagged budget: Are we getting close to resilience?

Flood control projects are intended to help Filipinos adapt to the impacts of climate change

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways is seeking P107.4 billion for flood control projects in 2027, after the government canceled new funding for such projects in 2026.

Some, if not all, flood control projects are classified as climate change expenditures, many of which have been found to be substandard or incomplete.

Environment groups noted that climate change spending fell in 2026, when no new funds were allocated for flood control. Climate network Aksyon Klima said this was “largely due to the redirection of billions of pesos from flood control projects that were plagued with corruption and mismanagement,” and “climate action should never be a casualty of corruption.”

For the proposed 2027 budget, climate change-tagged expenditures for mitigation and adaptation totaled P692.7 billion.