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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DBM chief De Leon explains why flood control funds were restored in 2027 budget

DBM chief De Leon explains why flood control funds were restored in 2027 budget

Published Aug 11, 2026 06:55 pm

At A Glance

  • DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon says P107.4 billion is allocated in the 2027 NEP for flood control projects, including maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and pumping station operations.
  • He stresses the need to continue and complete existing DPWH flood control projects to realize benefits, with P19.6 billion for foreign-assisted projects and P3.4 billion for MMDA operations.
  • De Leon highlights stricter vetting to prevent ghost projects, ensuring locations are properly identified and supported by actual programs of work before congressional approval.
DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said on Tuesday, Aug. 11 that the sheer necessity of flood control projects led to the restoration of these items in the country's spending plan, specifically in the P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2027.
"Sa 2027 NEP, mayroon P107.4 billion na mga proyekto na mga proyekto under flood control. Kabilang na dyan ang maintenance, repair, rehabilitation at improvement ng mga existing infrastructure," De Leon shared in a press conference at the House of Representatives.
(In the 2027 NEP, there are P107.4 billion worth of projects under flood control. These include maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and improvement of existing infrastructure.)
This was shortly after he turned over a copy of the NEP to Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, Speaker of the House of Representatives, which gets first dibs at perusing the voluminous document.
According to De Leon, the current inclement weather has demonstrated the importance of properly executed flood control projects.
He said this became an 'important consideration" in bringing back flood control programs after these were excluded from the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or enacted budget.
"Hindi naman din po natin pwedeng pabayaan yung mga naumpisahan na na flood control projects. Mas hindi po magiging maayos ang epekto kung mananatiling nakatiwangwang yung mga naumpisahan nang flood control projects," De Leon noted.
(We also cannot neglect the flood control projects that have already been started. The impact would be worse if the initiated flood control projects remain unfinished.)
President Marcos himself ordered the removal of flood control project funds worth P255.528 billion under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the 2026 budget as a response to flood control projects corruption scandal, which he exposed in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA)
Not only expenditures
"Ang mga flood control projects po ay hindi naman lahat...expenditure. Kaakibat din po nito yung mga operating requirements dahil kasama po sa mga flood control projects, ito rin yung mga pumping station facilties na kailangan mong i-sustain year-on-year," said De Leon.
(Flood control projects are not only expenditures; they also involve operating requirements because they include pumping station facilities that must be sustained year-on-year.)
The DBM chief further said: "Ito po yung naging dahilan kung bakit kami nag-agree sa ilang proposal ng para sa kanilang mga existing flood control projects na dapat ipagpatuloy, tapusin, ayusin, para ma-realize yung actual intended benefit para sa ating mga kababayan."
(This is why we agreed to some proposals of the Department of Public Works and Highways for their existing flood control projects to be continued, completed, and improved, so the actual intended benefit for our people can be realized.)
De Leon said that under the P107.4 billion flood control funds in the 2027 NEP, P19.6 billion was intended for capital outlay for ongoing foreign assisted projects for flood control.
"On top of that, mayroon din P3.4 billion under the flood control program ng MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority). Kasama dito yung pag-operate at pag-maintain ng mga existing flood control structures," he noted.
(There is P3.4 billion under the flood control program of the MMDA. This includes the operation and maintenance of existing flood control structures.)
Stricter vetting of projects
In the same presser, De Leon thanked DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon for his agency's efforts in vetting infrastructure projects under the 2027 outlay.
"Mas matindi po yung vetting na ginawa namin lalo dito sa mga flood control projects dahil sinuguro natin na properly identified, properly tagged ang mga location ng projects, duly supported ngayon pa lang ng actual program of works ang mga ito upang masiguro natin na hindi ito magiging mga ghost flood control projects kapag ito ay naaprubahan ng Kongreso," he said.
(We conducted stricter vetting especially for these flood control projects because we ensured that the project locations were properly identified and tagged, and already duly supported by an actual program of works, so that they will not become ghost flood control projects once approved by Congress.)
The House of Representatives, through the Committee on Appropriations, will begin tackling the 2027 NEP on Monday, Aug. 17.

Related Tags

Kim Robert de Leon DBM flood control projects House of Representatives
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