Bong Revilla to summon DPWH, MMDA to explain unresolved flooding

The Senate public works committee will summon Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Romando Artes to explain the unresolved problem of flooding, panel chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. said Monday.

"Nakakapikon na itong sitwasyon natin na sa tuwing uulan ay palagi na lang tayong baha, samantalang napakadaming proyekto at bilyon-bilyon ang ginagastos para masawata ang pagbaha, pero ganun pa rin at paulit-ulit. We must sit down and, once and for all, come up with workable and effective solutions," Revilla said.

(The recurring problem of flooding is disappointing. We are spending billions for many flood control projects, yet the situation is still the same.)

"Ipapatawag natin si Sec. Bonoan at Chair Artes dahil dapat mabigyan ng sagot ang malaking katanungan nating lahat — kung bakit sa kabila ng maraming taon na lumipas na sinasabi na may ginagawa ang dalawang ahensya tungkol sa baha, eh patuloy pa rin tayong binabaha," he explained.

(We will call Sec. Bonoan and Chair Artes to explain why this problem persists.)

Citing figures from the national budgets from years 2019 to 2023, Revilla said DPWH has received a total of P594.62 billion for its flood control projects while MMDA received P6 billion.

“Taon-taon tayong naglalaan ng pondo sa dalawang ahensya na ito para solusyonan ang problema sa baha. Pero bakit hindi natin maramdaman? Saan ba nilalagak ang pondo sa programang ito kasi yung baha, hindi naman nawawala tuwing umuulan. Sa totoo lang, lalo ngang tumataas ang baha na nararanasan natin," the senator quipped.

(There’s yearly appropriation for these two agencies to solve this problem but why can’t we feel the solution? Where do they spend these public funds intended to address flooding? Truth be told, the flooding problem even got worse.)

“Hindi na paliwanag ang kailangan ng taumbayan, ang kailangan natin ay aksiyon, solusyon at hindi anesthesia para hindi maramdaman ng publiko ang hirap sa pagbaha dahil lamang sa hindi matukoy ang problema," he stressed.

(We don’t need their explanations every time several areas are submerged in flood. What we need is action, solution and not anesthesia so the public won’t feel the problem.)

Revilla mentioned that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 425 flooding incidents during the onslaught of Typhoon Egay last week.—LDF, GMA Integrated News