Redirecting the government’s flood control budget to other agencies will not solve the “systematic corruption and plunder of public funds,” militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said.

Earlier, President Marcos announced that P36 billion flood control budget will be reallocated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) programs.

In a statement, Pamalakaya Chairperson Fernando Hicap said Marcos’ diversion of flood control funds to other programs “makes no sense” if those behind the plunder of public funds remain unpunished.

“Para na ring inamin ni Marcos na wala na siyang magagawa sa laganap na korapsyon sa kanyang administrasyon, kundi ilayo sa mga tiwali ang pondo (It is as if Marcos admitted that he can no longer do anything about the rampant corruption in his administration, except to move funds away from the corrupt),” he went on.

Disaster-hit communities, according to the group, expect accountability and justice, not mere reassignment of public funds.

“Hindi ito ang nais na marinig ng taong bayan na biktima ng mga mapaminsalang kalamidad na pinalala ng kriminal na kapabayaan at kasakiman ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan (This is not what the people, victims of destructive calamities worsened by criminal negligence and greed of government officials, want to hear),” said Hicap.

As such, he warned that the Marcos administration has yet to lay down a clear mechanism to investigate anomalous flood control projects.

“Hanggang ngayon ay walang malinaw na hakbang ang administrasyong Marcos kung paano pananagutin ang lahat ng sangkot sa maanomalyang flood control (Up to now, the Marcos administration has no clear steps on how to hold accountable those involved in anomalous flood control projects),” he said.

“Maging ang ibinibidang Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) ay tila nawawalan na ng kredibilidad (Even the much-hyped Independent Commission for Infrastructure seems to be losing credibility).”

Pamalakaya stressed that Marcos himself is increasingly answerable to the public with every delay in prosecuting erring officials and contractors.

“Papalaki nang papalaki ang pananagutan mismo ni Pangulong Marcos sa publiko (President Marcos’ accountability to the public only grows bigger),” Hicap said.

The group said the government’s inaction on the exposed flood control anomalies is a double whammy for ordinary people who continue to suffer from floods.