Catholic prelate Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David has called on both government leaders and the public to adopt an integrated strategy to tackle the nation’s ongoing flood crisis, highlighting the environmental forces at play.
In a recent social media statement, the cardinal emphasized that inundations stem from a complex web of environmental and systemic issues rather than an isolated cause.
He advocated for a fundamental shift in perspective, suggesting that the country adopt “a much larger strategy of living with water, not simply fighting against it.”
Criticizing the reliance on isolated infrastructure efforts, David stressed that sustainable solutions require a far broader scope than piecemeal construction.
“Flood management cannot be a collection of disconnected concrete projects,” David stated. “It has to begin with watersheds, forests, rivers, wetlands, coastlines, drainage systems, land-use planning, solid-waste management and climate adaptation.”
The prelate pointed out that effective flood mitigation must mirror natural hydrology rather than administrative jurisdictions.
He noted that planners must respect “the natural movement of water through entire river basins—not political districts,” reminding the public that “water does not recognize congressional districts, city boundaries or electoral jurisdictions.”
Addressing financial accountability, David voiced deep concern over the massive allocations directed toward fragmented projects, remarking that “billions of pesos have been poured into projects that too often seem disconnected from any coherent master plan.”
He warned that without rigorous master planning and strict oversight, flood control initiatives risk becoming political pork barrels and sources of profiteering, benefiting contractors and politicians through substandard, ill-placed, flawed, or non-existent projects.
Consequently, the cardinal urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any evidence of corruption or project irregularities immediately.