The Marcos administration is shifting to a comprehensive, river basin-specific strategy to address flooding across the country, tailoring flood control measures to fit the nation’s diverse geography and local conditions.
During a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro explained that a holistic river basin approach is currently viewed as the most suitable methodology for the Philippines’ varied terrain.
(“Aayusin po ang flood control, per major river basin plan at iyon ang nakikita nila sa ngayon na tugma sa pinaka-lokasyon ng ating bansa,” Castro said.)
While emphasizing that the Marcos administration has not ruled out a broader national flood control master plan, Castro stressed that all available options must be rigorously evaluated to determine the most effective solutions against extreme weather and heavy downpours.
(“Hindi po sinasara ng administrasyon ang patungkol sa masterplan, pero still dapat lahat itong aralin kung ano ang mas makakabuti sa ating bansa… Lahat ng plano na puwedeng gamitin para matugunan ang problema sa pagbaha ay puwede namang gamiting sabay-sabay,” she added, noting that multiple strategies can be deployed concurrently as long as they are properly coordinated.)
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) previously disclosed during a House budget hearing that while the country does not currently have a single consolidated national flood control plan, all 18 major river basins possess individual flood control plans based on recommendations from the agency’s foreign partners.
Of the 18 major river basins, 14 are actively being updated, with foreign consultants slated to complete revisions by 2027.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon outlined the agency’s revised guidelines for nationwide flood management, which prioritize upstream interventions over downstream measures and utilize retarding basins to manage water flow, moving away from an over-reliance on traditional dikes and revetments.
Secretary Dizon also expressed the DPWH’s full support for the proposed Master Plan on Infrastructure and National Development Bill. The proposed measure aims to establish a 30-year framework for national development, into which comprehensive flood mitigation strategies can be permanently integrated.
The Palace reiterated its commitment to exploring all viable, science-based interventions to safeguard vulnerable communities from severe flooding as the administration continues to upgrade the country’s climate resilience and infrastructure network.
