Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson emphasized on Wednesday that flood control strategies must span multiple presidential terms, warning that abandoning previous administrative plans leaves citizens vulnerable to severe flooding.
Lacson argued that effective infrastructure frameworks should survive political shifts, allowing room for necessary updates while keeping the core strategies intact.
”Dapat may continuity, multi-administration. Dapat nagko-cross ng administrations ang plano kung ito’y maayos. Pwede siguro mag modify, mag-adapt sa bagong sitwasyon sa pagbabago ng panahon, pero nandiyan ang basic master plan kung paano tutugunan ang problema ng pagbaha,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
He highlighted that long-term flood management initiatives need to be technically sound and structured to outlast a single presidential tenure to ensure consistent execution.
To illustrate his point, Lacson referenced a comprehensive blueprint developed under former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson during President Benigno Aquino III’s term, which was scrapped when President Rodrigo Duterte took office.
”Natandaan ko si Sec. Singson naka-craft na siya ng master plan di ganun kalaki ang gugugulin, mas matipid, systematic at mapigilan ang baha. Ang problema pagpalit ng admin nawala na. Nabasura ang planong ginawa ng dating admin. Ganun din ang mga sumusunod, kanya-kanyang paggawa ng plano,” he noted.
According to Lacson, sticking with Singson’s framework could have saved a significant portion of the ₱1.939 trillion budget assigned to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for flood management, or ensured the money was used more efficiently.
He pointed out a dramatic surge in flood control expenditures across political shifts: ₱183.546 billion (2011–2016), rising to ₱748.417 billion (2017–2022), and reaching ₱1.0066 trillion (2023–2025).
In addition to policy continuity, Lacson urged civil engineering associations to step forward and assist in holding parties accountable for failed public works projects like roads, bridges, and flood barriers.
He recommended that engineering groups assemble inspection teams to conduct forensic assessments on infrastructure damaged in recent floods to pinpoint whether failures resulted from poor design or flawed construction.
”Manawagan tayo sa association ng civil engineers, dapat siguro sila kumilos na mag-inspection. O kung may gumuho, magpapunta sila ng member doon kung may association sila, i-forensic nila ano kakulangan base sa kanilang kaalaman. Kung nagkulang sa structural design o implementation dapat habulin ang contractor,” Lacson urged.
”Wala kasing napapanagot. Kung talagang hahabulin, balikan ang ginawa five years ago or ilang taong nakalipas,” he added.
Lacson stated that expert-led forensic evaluations are essential to identifying liable contractors, DPWH representatives, and politicians involved in problematic infrastructure projects, emphasizing that this scrutiny must apply to all public works exposed by recent disasters.
”Dapat yan isa-isa balikan at habulin ang contractor, DPWH officials, kung sinong pulitiko nag-propose ng infra project na yan, hindi lang flood control,” the former senator concluded.