Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson questioned late Friday why floods continue to plague Filipinos despite yearly increases in the budget for the national government’s flood management programs.
Lacson noted that while the Department of Public Works and Highways has spent an estimated P2 trillion for flood management for the past 15 years – or P350 million a day, the problem still persists.
“Isn’t it absurd that the rise of floodwaters in our ‘malas’ country is directly proportional to the increase in the annual budget for the national government’s flood management program? For 15 years since 2011, the DPWH is supposed to have spent almost 2 trillion pesos, and yet…,” he said in a post on X Friday afternoon.
In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Kinuwestyon ang Patuloy na Baha sa Kabila ng P2-Trilyong ‘Flood Control’ Budget Mula 2011
“P2 trillion means an average daily expense of almost P350 million for the past 15 years. A midsize Cutter Suction Dredger costs anywhere from US$1.5 million to US$8 million. At US$5 million or P285 million with the current peso-dollar exchange rate, we can actually buy one dredging machine every day and use part of the excess of P65 million for operating expenses and maintenance,” he added.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s 6 a.m. Friday update showed at least 25 people were reported killed and at least eight were reported missing due to the effects of tropical cyclones Crising, Dante and Emong as well as the southwest monsoon.
It added at least 1.065 million families or 3.85 million people were affected by the monsoon and the cyclones.
Lacson earlier bared inequitable and distorted allocation of funds for flood control projects in some areas in the 2025 budget – including a small barangay in Oriental Mindoro that received P1.9 billion and a small town in the same province that received P10 billion.
He said he will grill the concerned officials regarding the flood control projects.
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Ping Lacson, Kinuwestyon ang Patuloy na Baha sa Kabila ng P2-Trilyong ‘Flood Control’ Budget Mula 2011
Kinuwestyon ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes kung bakit patuloy na namemerwisyo sa mga Pilipino ang baha sa kabila ng taunang pagtaas sa budget para sa flood management program ng pamahalaan.
Ani Lacson, bagama’t tinatayang P2 trilyon na ang ginastos ng Department of Public Works and Highways para sa flood management mula 2011 – o P350 milyon kada araw – tila hindi pa rin nawawala ang problema.
“Isn’t it absurd that the rise of floodwaters in our ‘malas’ country is directly proportional to the increase in the annual budget for the national government’s flood management program? For 15 years since 2011, the DPWH is supposed to have spent almost 2 trillion pesos, and yet…,” aniya sa post sa X.
https://x.com/iampinglacson/status/1948614818216509481
“P2 trillion means an average daily expense of almost P350 million for the past 15 years. A midsize Cutter Suction Dredger costs anywhere from US$1.5 million to US$8 million. At US$5 million or P285 million with the current peso-dollar exchange rate, we can actually buy one dredging machine every day and use part of the excess of P65 million for operating expenses and maintenance,” dagdag niya.
Sa ulat ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, hindi bababa sa 25 ang naiulat na nasawi at walo ang nawawala dahil sa epekto ng bagyong Crising, Dante at Emong, at ng habagat.
Dagdag ng NDRRMC, hindi bababa sa 1.065 milyong pamilya o 3.85 milyong katao ang apektado ng habagat at ng mga bagyo.
Binuking ni Lacson noong Hulyo 11 ang hindi patas at baluktot na alokasyon para sa flood control project sa 2025 budget – kabilang ang maliit na barangay sa Oriental Mindoro na nakakuha ng P1.9 bilyon at maliit na bayan na nakakuha ng P10 bilyon.
Ani Lacson, gigisahin niya ang mga opisyal na may kinalaman sa mga flood control project na ito.
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