MANILA, Philippines — After years of devastating floods and nearly ₱1.939 trillion poured into flood control projects from 2011 to 2025, the Philippine government is once again preparing to spend billions to protect communities from rising waters.
But this time, senators say they want answers first.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson has vowed to closely scrutinize the ₱107.4-billion flood control allocation proposed for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the government’s ₱7.2-trillion proposed national budget for 2027, following renewed public outrage over flooding and allegations of corruption surrounding infrastructure projects.
The proposed amount is particularly significant because it comes after a year of investigations into alleged ghost, defective and substandard flood control projects—and after Filipinos once again watched major roads and communities in and around Metro Manila struggle with floodwaters during recent monsoon rains.
The Question Taxpayers Want Answered
For Lacson, the issue is no longer simply how much money the government should spend. It is whether Filipinos can be assured that the money will actually produce flood protection.
The veteran senator said the government must explain how the ₱107.4 billion will be spent, which areas will benefit, what projects will be prioritized and whether an updated national flood control master plan is in place.
Lacson has pointed to testimony from former DPWH officials during previous investigations involving allegations that significant portions of public works funds were lost to corruption. Those allegations remain part of the wider controversy that has placed the country’s flood control system under intense public and congressional scrutiny.
The senator also questioned whether the government should have to spend billions more repairing or rehabilitating flood control infrastructure that may have already been funded but was allegedly poorly built or improperly implemented.
Why the ₱107 Billion Budget Is Under the Spotlight
The ₱107.4-billion proposed allocation is the lowest flood control budget since 2019, according to earlier reporting on the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program. The funding is intended largely for the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing flood control infrastructure, while additional funding is earmarked for ongoing foreign-assisted projects.
Budget officials have defended continued spending on flood mitigation, arguing that unfinished and existing projects cannot simply be abandoned. The government has also said proposed projects will undergo stricter vetting and identification procedures to prevent questionable or so-called ghost projects from making their way into the final budget.
Still, critics and lawmakers say the problem is bigger than the amount of money being allocated.
It is about accountability.
Senate Eyes Tougher Safeguards
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian has also said the chamber will take a hard look at the proposed flood control spending, particularly in light of allegations involving ghost and substandard projects.
Among the safeguards being considered is a requirement for complete project information, including station numbers and precise geographic coordinates, which could make projects easier for government auditors, lawmakers and the public to verify.
Gatchalian has also stressed the need for feasibility studies and sufficient technical details before flood control funds are released—a move aimed at reducing opportunities for duplication, discretionary changes and projects that exist on paper but are difficult to verify on the ground.
A Bigger Crisis of Trust
The flood control controversy has become a symbol of a much deeper public frustration: Filipinos have seen enormous amounts allocated for infrastructure, yet flooding remains a recurring threat every rainy season.
Investigative reporting by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has highlighted the scale of the controversy and the continuing investigations into alleged irregularities in public works projects. The organization also raised concerns about budget mechanisms that could leave room for politically influenced project allocations even after flood control spending was reduced in the aftermath of the scandal.
The debate now facing Congress is therefore about more than approving another line item in the national budget.
It is about whether the government has learned from the failures and allegations that have shaken public confidence.
The Senate’s Biggest Test May Be Yet to Come
When budget deliberations begin, the ₱107.4-billion question will be impossible to ignore:
Can the government prove exactly where the money is going—and can it guarantee that this time, the projects will actually protect Filipinos from floods?
After nearly ₱1.939 trillion spent on flood control from 2011 to 2025, taxpayers are no longer just asking for bigger budgets.
They are asking for working infrastructure, transparent spending and results they can see when the next heavy rains arrive.
The Senate’s scrutiny of the proposed budget could determine whether the country’s flood control program enters a new era of accountability—or whether Filipinos will once again be left asking the same painful question after the waters rise:
Where did all the money go?
Leave a Reply