Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV has called on the government to employ more Filipino scientists in crafting science-based flood control measures.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology also called on the government to redirect significant funding toward climate resiliency projects that can save lives and protect communities.

“Panahon na para gumamit ng ibang istratehiya (It’s time to use a different strategy). Let’s tap our world-class Filipino scientists and other experts in preventing flooding. Marami silang maiaambag sa pagresolba ng problemang ito (They can contribute to resolving this problem),” said Aquino, who is also vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance.

The senator further said the government must invest in an integrated and scientific solution to addressing the causes of flooding, from infrastructure to the effects of climate change, instead of wasting billions of pesos on ineffective flood control projects.

Moreover, he said funds for questionable and ineffective flood control projects should be rechanneled to programs such as climate-resilient infrastructure, mangrove reforestation, watershed rehabilitation, and improved urban planning.

“Instead of spending hundreds of billions of pesos on flood control projects that are often botched and are a source of corruption, let's fund programs that will definitely protect the people and our future,” he insisted.

Aquino noted that despite the ₱1.47 trillion allocated for flood control from 2009 to 2024, the country still suffers from poor drainage systems, ineffective flood measures, outdated pumping stations, and a lack of community-based flood risk management.

He also stressed that a large portion of the flood control budget should instead be reallocated to finance the construction of classrooms in public schools to address the backlog.

“The classroom shortage is much smaller than this year’s flood control budget. What you say is 50 years to do, 50 years to accomplish, or 5 years to accomplish, in reality, it is smaller than the entire flood control budget for a year,” Aquino said.

“The P350 billion or P500 billion that is being given for flood control, that is bigger than what we need for all the classroom shortages in our country,” he pointed out.