Marcos El Niño mitigation plan the 'right move forward', says DPWH exec-turned-solon
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)
A ranking congressman who has a background in public works believes that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has a good El Niño mitigation plan in place. According to Surigao del Sur 1st district Rep. Romeo Momo, the President’s plan to upgrade the country’s flood control and water management by building impounding dams, small river impounding projects, and high dams is the “right move forward". “It is the right move forward. This is not new to the Philippines. Time and again, we have seen how our communities have suffered because we were never prepared enough when the dry and wet seasons come. Today, we have an administration willing to face that painful truth. We should give it our full support,” Momo said. “It is high time that an administration prioritizes the construction of critical infrastructure that would provide solutions to not only the effects of El Niño but to other weather disturbances and to climate change as well,” he added. Momo, an engineer by profession, is a former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). He now chairs the House Committee on Public Works and Highways. “It is commendable that the President has put forth clear instructions and plans on how we will deal with the impact of El Niño because this team would be able to give our problems with depleting water resources the attention it needs,” he said. Last week, Marcos ordered the creation of a government team that would focus on mitigating the impact of the looming El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to hit from July to September this year and to last until 2024.