All foreign-funded flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) suffered steep cuts in the proposed 2026 national budget, following broader reductions in foreign-assisted projects (FAPs).
A comparison of the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) showed that four of the 10 projects lost more than half their funding, while the rest saw a quarter of their allocations removed.
The Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was the hardest hit, dropping from ₱3.961 billion to ₱566.5 million. The Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Phase 1 Project, backed by the Asian Development Bank, was cut by ₱835.2 million, leaving it with ₱648.9 million.
The Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase 1, which aims to build 20 new pumping stations, will only receive ₱470.4 million—₱783 million less than proposed. The World Bank-funded project has already incurred ₱27 million in commitment fees due to delays.
Meanwhile, Phase IV of the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project, also funded by JICA, saw its budget slashed from ₱7.4 billion to ₱1.8 billion, a ₱5.6 billion reduction.
These cuts raise concerns over the government’s ability to deliver on critical flood resilience and climate adaptation programs.