An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday, Sept. 10, pushed for a different, nature-based strategy when it comes to flood management.

During the Senate hearing of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, DENR Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science Carlos Primo David said the mandate for flood control rests on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which naturally relies on grey infrastructure. However, he argued that the DENR’s proposed approach views excess water not merely as a hazard but as a vital resource.

“If we consider water even if it’s in excess and causes flooding and traffic and all these damages, water remains to be a vital resource of the country. If we consider it as a resource, our approach to flooding should not be to flush it out to the ocean as fast as possible by creating river dikes, but instead to impound; let the excess rain infiltrate into the ground by having our watersheds intact,” David said.

He warned that improperly placed infrastructure can intensify flooding.

“A natural waterway like a river will have a dry season flow and a wet season flow. Oftentimes, we only consider the river where the water is, and therefore, we put the flood control structure right next to the dry season flow. In other words constricting the entire channel of the river,” David explained.

“When the wet season flow comes in, it will now be constricted into this narrow canal instead of spreading into what we call as the flood plain, all that volume of water that’s been constricted will number one: increase in flow velocity, making it more erosive and that the entire volume of water that was supposed to spread out at that point will now be cascaded down further downstream causing higher floods downstream,” he added.

David said the DENR has drafted a National Flood Management Plan anchored on a holistic and nature-based strategy. This includes protecting watersheds, using excess water for irrigation, bulk water supply, hydropower, aquaculture, and ecotourism, and integrating land use planning.

Senator Erwin Tulfo earlier suggested that the Climate Change Commission and the Department of Agriculture, along with the DENR, be more involved in flood mitigation planning to ensure long-lasting infrastructure.

He added that they would come up with a resolution.

"So, I guess Madam Chair, my only suggestion to the Secretary is siguro to tightly coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways, not only po DPWH but also po the Department of Agriculture, kung saan nandun po yung National Irrigation Administration, para po masiguro na talagang yung infrastructures that we're building will last for a long time," he added.

Senator Camille Villar also noted the importance of DENR’s participation, saying the agency could guide contractors in creating better-designed projects.

David urged lawmakers to support the shift in perspective.

“Personally, if you will ask me Madam Chair, the infrastructure being built as flood control, if improperly placed, not only does it not help in exacerbating flooding, but oftentimes it actually intensifies flooding downstream,” he said.