Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon assured that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will put to good use the around 200 heavy equipment units that had been left idle in agency warehouses since 2018 — as part of the government’s intensified flood control operations.
The move follows President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive after discovering that the machines, mostly donations from international partners, had been unused for years.
“Ang Kontra Baha Operation ay 9 months po ito every year, ‘no, simula po ngayon hanggang sa susunod na taon bago mag-tag-ulan ulit, so 2026. Tuloy-tuloy po nating una, lilinisin itong mga water way natin, at para diyan, kailangan natin ng maraming heavy equipment,” Dizon said in a radio interview.
He added that many of the unused machines were originally donated for disaster preparedness programs.
“So ang sabi ko, hindi pupuwede ‘yan! Ire-report ko sa Pangulo, ang sabi ng Pangulo, ilabas na ‘yan, gamitin na natin dito sa malawakang operasyon na ito, so, ‘yon na po ang ginawa natin,” he added.
Dizon said the DPWH plans to procure new equipment next year but will first utilize the stored dredgers and dump trucks.
He also confirmed that donors, including the World Bank, have allowed the government to use the equipment for flood mitigation.
“Ang sabi ho kasi, ‘yon daw po ang kondisyon ng donation… basta po gagamitin lang sa tama at siguraduhing mame-maintain… wala po silang problema,” Dizon said.