Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero is calling for a drastic reduction in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) proposed flood control projects for 2026, saying the money would be better spent on classrooms, hospitals, and food security.
Escudero flagged the ₱250.8 billion allocation for flood control, which makes up almost one-third of the DPWH’s entire proposed budget of ₱881.3 billion for next year. He pointed out that the amount is 20 times larger than the budget for new school buildings.
“₱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,” Escudero stressed.
The Senate leader warned that keeping the budget as is will only drown the DPWH in criticism. He added that redirecting part of the flood control funds to education, health, and food production would create more tangible benefits for Filipinos, especially since the government is still awaiting the flood control master plan funded by the Asian Development Bank.
“Reducing the funds of the DPWH also reduces the possibility of corruption,” he noted.
Escudero urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to revise the spending plan and limit flood control funding to the most vulnerable areas. He argued that the current setup shows an “irrational bias” for flood control at the expense of programs with greater national impact.
He also encouraged DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to explore collaborations with local governments and private partners, particularly in cleaning rivers in Metro Manila, while infrastructure projects are still under review.
