During a Senate budget hearing on Thursday, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito raised concerns over several “unfunded items” under the ₱5.8-billion budget proposal of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for fiscal year 2026.
“MMDA submitted a total proposal of ₱13.576 billion, but only ₱5.884 billion was recommended by the DBM in the 2026 National Expenditure Program, representing a reduction of ₱7.692 billion, or 56.66%,” Ejercito said.
Among the unfunded projects were the ₱300 million rehabilitation of the Manggahan Floodwater Channel (Phase 2) and another ₱300 million for the rehabilitation and improvement of the Lower Marikina River (Phase 20).
Ejercito then questioned why the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) decided not to fund these initiatives.
“Maybe because these are connected to flood control projects, your honor,” replied MMDA Chair Romando Artes.
“We realize that people are a little ‘allergic’ to (antiflood projects), even DBM and the national government. That’s why we did not pursue it,” he added.
The hesitation comes amid ongoing controversy over alleged collusion among politicians, government officials, and private contractors that led to the scrapping of ₱250 billion in flood control funds under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026.
Still, Artes emphasized the importance of such projects.
“Projects like that can help a lot, especially here in Marikina. They have really hastened the drainage of floodwater from our streets,” he said.
Despite the cuts, the MMDA retains at least ₱1 billion for flood control efforts — or around ₱32 million per city, as pointed out by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.
“We have to remember that the flood control of the DPWH were all removed. The MMDA now has over ₱1 billion plus for flood control projects. Maybe it’s not the same as DPWH, but it’s the same philosophy,” Gatchalian stated.
Artes assured senators that the MMDA independently determines its project priorities and implementation plans.
Gatchalian added that while the DPWH’s initial ₱275-billion flood control request was rejected due to corruption concerns, funding for such projects could still be sourced from previously unused allocations.