The Marcos administration is actively working to address deep-seated flaws in the nation’s flood management network by building and modernizing key infrastructure, Malacañang announced Thursday.
During a press briefing, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro acknowledged that severe flooding remains a persistent challenge despite heavy government spending on mitigation efforts over the years.
Castro pointed out that recent inquiries exposed phantom flood control projects executed under both previous and current leaderships.
”Ito’y nagpapatunay lamang na sa tinagal-tagal ng panahon ay may kakulangan sa mga flood control projects at karamihan nga ay mga ghost projects hindi lang sa panahon ngayon kundi sa mga nakaraang administrasyon,” she stated.
She explained that findings from these investigations are guiding official strategy to ensure future mitigation efforts effectively protect both current residents and coming generations.
”At iyan po ang pinupunan ngayon ng administrasyon. At dahil po nagkaroon ng malawakang pag-iimbestiga dito, mas nabukas sa gobyerno kung ano pa ang dapat gawin at ano pa ang maaaring proyekto para magtuloy-tuloy ang pagkontrol sa baha,” Castro noted.
According to Castro, initial measures undertaken in Metro Manila were discussed during a situation assessment led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.
She shared that these steps have produced positive early results, notably accelerating how fast floodwaters recede in targeted locations.
While extreme rainfall makes some degree of flooding inevitable, Castro observed that drainage speeds have improved significantly—a result Marcos intends to replicate across the country.
A major focus of the effort involves replacing outdated drainage culverts, many of which date back to the post-World War II era and can no longer handle modern capacity requirements. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has initiated these replacements in selected zones and is pushing to expand the initiative broadly.
The modernized culverts feature a much larger build—wide enough to accommodate a tricycle—allowing stormwater to drain far more rapidly.
”So, marami pong proyekto ang Pangulo na nabanggit,” Castro added.
Castro concluded by encouraging citizens to assist government efforts by keeping their local surroundings clean and avoiding habits that contribute to urban flooding.