Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Sunday, September 7 proposed that the flood control projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026 be slashed considerably and be rechanneled to health, education and food production.

Escudero is referring to the P250.8-billion worth of flood control projects from the DPWH’s proposed P881.3-billion budget for 2026.

The Senate leader said the nearly quarter-trillion-peso proposed funding for flood control projects accounts for one-third of the entire DPWH project, and 20 times bigger than the amount earmarked for the construction of new school buildings.

“Thirteen (13) billion pesos lang ang para sa mga bagong classrooms tapos baha ang pondo para sa flood control. Mas malaki pa kaysa pondo para sa mga bagong kalye at limang beses ang laki ng pondo kaysa pagpapagawa ng bagong tulay ( P13-billion pesos is for new classrooms and yet there’s a deluge in the flood control fund. It is bigger than the fund for new roads and five times the amount of the fund for building a new bridge,” Escudero said.

“If we let this stand as it is, this budget will be deluged with criticism,” the senator said.

Escudero also said it would be more practical and beneficial to first cut the funds allocated for flood control and pour them into education, health and food production sectors while waiting for the flood control master plan funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

“Reducing the funds of the DPWH also reduces the possibility of corruption,” he said.

In its submission to the House of Representatives, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)-vetted funding request of the DPWH starts with P108 billion for “asset preservation;” P182.5 billion for “network development;” P52 billion for bridges;” P15.4 billion for “local programs;” and P167.8 billion for “convergence and special support.”

However, the Senate chief said the DBM should “recast the DPWH budget and shrink the flood control funds to the required minimum to places where people are really in harm’s way when the rains come.”

“The development impact of the budget has been clearly diluted by this irrational bias for flood control. If budgeting is the smart application of scarce resources to where they can make the greatest good for the greatest number of people, then why are we allowing a program that creates the least impact corner much of the funds?” Escudero pointed out.

“I encourage DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to explore possible partnerships with various LGUs (local government units) and private sector with respect to cleaning our rivers, particularly in Metro Manila, while all public infrastructure projects are under review,” he said.