Senators on Monday, July 28 lauded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s strong directive for a thorough audit and review of all flood control projects following the massive flooding that greatly affected Filipinos during the past few weeks. 

Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV said it is imperative to know where the funds went or whether they were really used for flood mitigation efforts. 

“I welcome this call of the President for an investigation sa flood control. Nais ko rin makita kung saan napupunta iyong perang ito para sa madaliang panahon, maitigil na natin iyong pagbabaha sa ating bansa (I also want to see where this money goes so that we can stop the flooding in our country in the short term),” Aquino said.

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito also welcomed President Marcos’ move but stressed that the real work now falls on implementing agencies, like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to ensure that these audits are not just for show but lead to accountability and reform.

“Year after year, the budget for flood control projects is sliced up per district, leading to scattered, redundant, and sometimes questionable drainage improvements and slope protections. Ginagamit pa ng ilan sa korapsyon (Some are using it for corruption),” he said.

“Kung walang (If there’s no) national framework, parang (it’s like) we’re just patching leaks while the flood keeps rising,” he added.

“We support the President’s call for a full accounting of all flood control projects. But audits must be followed by consequences. Kung may sablay, may dapat managot. Kung may kalokohan, may dapat makulong (If there was corruption, someone should be held accountable. If there is a mistake, someone should be imprisoned),” Ejercito said.

“And let’s not forget, infrastructure isn’t just about disaster response, it’s about economic recovery,” he added.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson also said he is so pleased with the President’s directive for a total rundown of flood control projects. 

“That’s why I clapped the loudest and the longest. He also said, he will not sign the 2026 budget bill passed by Congress if not aligned with the government’s national expenditure program. I clapped again - even louder and longer,” Lacson said in his account on X. 

Senate Minority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said that he was generally satisfied especially with the fact that Marcos gave a stern warning about corruption in the DPWH.

"I precisely like the part he talked about the preservation of the NEP (National Expenditure Program). That is what we will be doing in the Senate. Humanda yung mga sa insertion (Those who are fond of insertions better prepare)," he said.

Senator Erwin Tulfo also said that he's pleased with President Marcos’ fourth SONA, announcing a launch of an investigation into the alleged anomalies in flood control projects over the past three years.

"This has been our call—to remove politicians’ involvement in the allocation of funds for flood control programs. The entire nation has seen that there has been no improvement in the flooding problem, especially when we were battered by strong storms," Tulfo said in Filipino. 

"I support holding accountable those who enriched themselves at the expense of the Filipino people's suffering," he added.

As a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) head, Tulfo also expressed support to the President’s call to amend and expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to uplift the lives of more Filipinos.

"Ngayong may mga panukala na at may klarong direktba mula sa Pangulo, panahon na para mag-trabaho sa Senado (Now that proposals are on the table and there is a clear directive from the President, it is time for the Senate to get to work)," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva welcomed and commended the President’s statement and firm stance on the issue of flood control. 

"Honestly, I’ve sounded like a broken record in my repeated criticism of the ₱1.4 billion daily budget for flood control. That’s why I am deeply grateful for the President’s bold commitment to ensure proper implementation of these projects, to subject them to a thorough audit, to publish the plans for public scrutiny, and to hold corrupt officials and contractors accountable for pocketing billions of pesos meant for these efforts," Villanueva said in Filipino. 

He said that the suffering of Filipinos who are flooded year after year—losing homes, livelihoods, and sometimes lives—is no small matter, stating that it’s time to put an end to this and that it’s time to ensure that every peso is spent on real, lasting solutions.

He said however, that it's unfortunate that the President did not mention his position on the scourge of online gambling. 

"We continue to call for its total ban. It brings nothing good to our society. We reiterate our call for a total ban on online gambling because it wreaks havoc on the lives of our people. It destroys families, traps individuals in addiction, and contributes nothing meaningful to nation-building," he said. 

"True public service means standing up against what is wrong and standing firm for what is right—even when it’s unpopular," he added.