In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored a significant achievement of his administration: the nation’s enhanced resilience and readiness for future challenges, particularly natural disasters. He emphasized this point by stating, “More than 5,500 flood control projects have already been completed, and many more are currently being done throughout the country.”
However, the proclaimed achievements of flood control are now mired in controversy, starkly highlighted by the devastating flooding caused by Typhoon Carina, which swamped the National Capital Region (NCR) and various parts of Luzon. This glaring discrepancy between the reported infrastructure successes and the harsh reality on the ground sparks serious questions about transparency and accountability regarding these flood control projects and the public funds allocated in the last two years of Marcos Jr.’s administration.
Budget
In a revealing Facebook post, Prof. Malou Tiquia, founder and CEO of PUBLiCUS Asia, highlighted crucial budget details from the Official Gazette, page 705, under Allocations to Local Government Units for GAA 2024. She pointed out that Php 455.8 million is allocated for the regular Metropolitan Manila Flood Control Program. Php 395.5 million is designated for operating and maintaining various flood control structures, facilities, equipment, and waterways. Locally Funded Projects amount to Php 3 billion, with 101 specific areas identified and listed from pages 708 to 712.
Tiquia further highlighted that the GAA 2023 allocated Php 351.7 million for flood control, with Php 287 million earmarked for operating and maintaining various flood control structures, facilities, equipment, and waterways. Additionally, locally funded projects amounted to Php 1.8 billion, covering 109 areas, as detailed on pages 711 to 717. She noted that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) received Php 787.6 billion over two years for flood control programs, while locally funded projects reached an impressive Php 4.8 billion. This excludes the DPWH allocations for FY 2023 and 2024, which total Php 544 billion. Combined, the flood control budget under the Marcos administration amounts to an astonishing Php 1.332 trillion over two years. This figure does not even consider the funds allocated through ordinances by the 17 LGUs in the NCR or foreign-funded projects.
Conclusion
This detailed budget allocation undoubtedly highlights a substantial investment in flood control and management. However, it also brings to light a troubling discrepancy: despite the significant public funds allocated, the severe flooding in the NCR and many parts of Luzon caused by Typhoon Carina raises critical questions about the effectiveness of these expenditures and where the funds went. This underscores the urgent need to scrutinize what happened to the public funds allocated for the flood control projects in the name of transparency and accountability. It is also imperative to know who were the implementing agencies and contractors of these projects and make them accountable. Note that transparency and accountability are not just buzzwords. They are essential for the effective use of public funds, and the Filipino deserves to know the truth.
Source: The Lobbyist
https://www.thelobbyist.biz/perspectives/article-details/prime%20insight/31-07-24
