PASAY CITY, Philippines — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has introduced a measure to establish the Pampanga River Basin Authority, advocating for a centralized, basin-wide system to manage flood-control efforts rather than relying on piecemeal projects.
Through Senate Bill No. 2516, the proposed authority will oversee flood-control planning, project execution, technical reviews, monitoring, and transparency throughout the region.
“Ang tunay na malasakit at serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan ay makikita sa paggawa ng sistemang magpoprotekta sa kanila bago pa lang dumating ang baha,” Pangilinan said.
“Hindi na dapat aabot pa sa nawalan ng buhay, ari-arian, at kabuhayan ang ating mga Cabalen kung kikilos na tayo ngayon,” he added.
The legislation mandates the creation and implementation of a 20-year integrated basin plan alongside a rolling five-year investment program.
Major infrastructure initiatives will be subject to mandatory flood-compatibility evaluations, while operations and maintenance will be synchronized across dams, reservoirs, irrigation networks, pumping stations, drainage channels, and early flood-warning mechanisms.
Additionally, SB 2516 integrates provisions for food security, agricultural and aquaculture production, local livelihood preservation, and equitable compensation for properties or lands designated for flood storage.
To enforce fiscal transparency and accountability, the proposal requires major investments to undergo rigorous economic appraisals.
Full project disclosures—including expenses, contractor details, implementation timelines, payments, maintenance obligations, structural defects, corrective actions, and tangible performance outcomes—will be made accessible to the public via a dedicated online dashboard.