13/08/2025
FLOOD OF PROJECTS, BUT NOT WHERE IT FLOODS
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a probe into what he called a “disturbing mismatch” between the country’s most flood-prone provinces and those that received the bulk of flood control projects—raising questions about how billions in public funds were allocated.
According to data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bulacan topped the list with 668 flood control projects, followed by Cebu (414) and Isabela (341). But here’s the twist: Cebu, Isabela, Albay, Leyte, and Camarines Sur —all in the top 10 recipients—are not classified among the country’s most flood-vulnerable provinces.
Bulacan, which received the highest number of flood control projects, ranks only fifth in terms of actual flood exposure.
Meanwhile, the top 10 flood-risk provinces, as identified in the National Adaptation Plan 2023–2050, include Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Oriental Mindoro. Yet, with the exception of Pampanga, none of these areas are among the top recipients of flood control funding. Notably, Pampanga, which ranks first in flood vulnerability, only places fifth in terms of project allocation.
The President also revealed that ₱100 billion —nearly 20% of the total ₱545 billion flood control budget—was awarded to just 15 contractors, with some firms having projects in nearly every region. He stopped short of naming names but said the pattern was “highly unusual.”
