SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is urging the national government to develop a comprehensive, science-based flood management plan and demanded a full accounting of public funds allocated for flood-control projects as heavy monsoon rains continue to submerge communities across the Philippines.
The enhanced southwest monsoon (Habagat) has triggered severe flooding across Metro Manila and nearby provinces over the past week, displacing thousands of residents and disrupting classes, businesses, and transportation.
Expressing frustration over the country’s reliance on emergency response rather than long-term prevention, Pangilinan stressed that chronic flooding should not be treated as normal.
“Hindi dapat normal ang baha. Hindi dapat natatakot at nangangamba ang ating mga kababayan tuwing umuulan,” Pangilinan stated, adding that uncoordinated infrastructure projects render multi-billion-peso investments ineffective. “Kahit gumastos tayo ng bilyon-bilyon, pero kung walang pagkakaugnay-ugnay ang ating flood control management plan, eh lulubog at lulubog pa rin ang ating mga kalsada at mga [ka]bahayan.”
To address lingering controversies over infrastructure spending, the lawmaker called for complete transparency regarding flood-control projects nationwide—demanding public details on locations, costs, contractors, completion status, and actual flood-mitigation impact.
“Karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na malaman kung saan napunta ang bawat pisong inilaan para sa flood control,” he urged. “Hindi pwedeng may proyekto sa papel pero kapag umulan, binabaha pa rin ang mga tao.”
Pangilinan emphasized that a modernized national flood management strategy must be preventive, transparent, and resilient enough to adapt to climate change and future environmental risks.