EVERY YEAR, THE government has been spending hundreds of billions for the so-called flood control projects but most of them — if not none at all — seemed to have served its purpose.
Deaths, injuries, rising waters, isolated communities, stranded people, stalled vehicles, submerged homes, and displaced families, to name a few. These are but the same scenario we see every year.
There are various reasons behind the epic failure of these multi-billion projects funded using the hard-earned money we paid to the government in the form of taxes.
‘[F]lood control programs yielded no results, no audit, and zero accountability. As if these dilemmas aren’t enough …. the government blamed the Filipinos for the persistent flooding in most parts of the country.’
DEEPER CURRENTS
Beneath the floodwaters lie deeper currents: corruption, neglect, and a leadership void that’s been allowed to persist for far too long.
When Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took Malacañang by storm via a convincing victory on board the infamous UniTeam, his allies exposed systematic anomalies in the government flood control program in what seemed more like a PR stunt.
Moving forward, perennial flooding remains unresolved notwithstanding the fact that the not-so-new administration has burned more money than any other administration in the past.
Worse, flood control programs yielded no results, no audit, and zero accountability.
As if these dilemmas aren’t enough, nincompoops in the government blamed the Filipinos for the persistent flooding in most parts of the country.
MMDA’s OFFICIAL ALIBI
A top official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that the lack of discipline among city folks caused massive floods in Metro Manila, while the man at the helm of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) hinted at the aging drainage system as the culprit.
Well, yes, there could be some truth behind the MMDA official’s alibi, but the truth remains — we don’t have in-city solid waste disposal facilities. We don’t have a reliable garbage collection system. We don’t have an effective implementation of Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act).
What’s irking though is the lousy excuse of the DPWH boss who hinted at the need to secure a loan to replace what he claimed as an aging drainage system.
RESILIENCY?
If my memory serves me right, a huge chunk of the hundreds of billions spent by the DPWH annually on flood control projects were intended for the drainage system.
The predicament we’re facing only goes to show that the people at the helm of DPWH failed to deliver results. They’re merely relying on our resiliency. Kayang-kaya naman daw natin bumangon pagkatapos ng unos.
Floods aren’t just a failure of infrastructure—they’re a failure of vision, patriotism, and moral leadership. This is not normal. It is not inevitable.