Flood control should be a national plan, President Marcos stressed as he dwelled on the impacts of super typhoon Carina and enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat in various parts of Luzon this week.
Speaking at a situation briefing in Quezon Province on Friday, July 26, Marcos stressed anew the need for a nationwide flood-control plan after seeing the severe flooding the typhoon caused in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
"[T]here has to be a national plan. It will have to be a national plan," Marcos said.
The President underscored that flood waters could flow to any areas, "so flood control has to be a big plan."
Pointing out that there has been significant changes to the country's vulnerability to flooding, where areas that are not previously affected by massive floods are now also being flooded. He said it is important to understand where the water is coming from and where it could possibly flow.
"We have to understand the flow of the water and how to somehow manage it so that it does not flood into the productive areas, the households, the residential communities," Marcos said.
"Yung dati hindi binabaha, alam na namin kung saan pumupunta yung tubig, kung saan bumabaha. Pero hindi na, nagbago lahat, e. So that's what we have to figure out: bakit nagbago 'yan, saan nanggaling ang tubig, saan dumaan, anong gagwin natin para harangin 'yan, at least impound, whatever kung ano ba yung magiging plano (Before we know where the water goes, where the flood-prone areas are. But it has changed, everything has changed. o that's what we have to figure out: why did it change, where did the water come from, what do we do to prevent it, at least impound, whatever the plan will be)," he added.
Marcos also mentioned that there was already a big plan for the country's flood-control in the past, which will take at least 20 years to materialize.
"As I keep saying, you cannot do this in one province, one town. This plan, it will cross regions," Marcos said.
"There's already a big plan nung panahon pa ni (during the time of) Secretary Babes Singson but it will take 20 years, 22 years, ang laki ng cost (it has a huge cost), although it will work. Pero I don't know how will we do it and it crosses most of Luzon)," he added
He also emphasized the need to prepare for the next flood occurrences, noting that typhoon Carina is just the first typhoon within the La Niña phenomenon.
"This is the first typhoon sa (during) La Niña, mahaba pa 'to (this will be long), so we have to prepare for that. Let's think about preparing for that," he said.
"That's why we are trying to assess what are the significant changes, because all our flood-control projects are projects that are in response to yung mga flooded noon, e nagbago na (the flooded areas before, but it has changed)," Marcos also said.
The Chief Executive was in Quezon Province, a day after he inspected flooded areas in Valenzuela, Malabon, and Navotas. He is currently in San Mateo, Rizal for another situation briefing and inspection to assess the impacts of the typhoon and habagat.