Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan wants the government to stop treating flood control as a collection of separate projects and instead come up with one plan covering entire river basins.
Pangilinan made the call as Central Luzon continued to reel from widespread flooding caused by weeks of southwest monsoon rains.
“Walang kinikilalang political boundary ang tubig. Kung tingi-tingi ang plano, tingi-tingi rin ang solusyon. Ang nangyayari, tumatagos lang ang baha sa mga kalapit-bayan,” he said.
Pangilinan proposed a single, science-based master plan for major river basins and metropolitan areas, with one clearly accountable authority overseeing the program.
“Kailangan nang i-overhaul ang kasalukuyang flood-control system ng bansa. Palitan ng isang master plan na may isang chain of accountability na transparent sa lahat at measurable ang results para sa mga river basin at metropolitan area,” he added.
Under his proposal, flood-control projects in Metro Manila would have to follow one metropolitan flood-control plan, while projects outside the capital would be organized according to entire river basins.
Pangilinan cited the Pampanga River Basin, which covers interconnected waterways affecting Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and neighboring areas.
The senator also called for a public database showing the budget, contractor, specifications and timetable of every flood-control project.
“Hindi accomplishment ang maraming proyekto kung baha pa rin ang komunidad. Hindi lang laki ng gastos ng pamahalaan ang sukatan. Sukatan din kung mas ligtas ang mga pamilya, nabawasan ang baha, at sulit ang bawat pisong ginastos sa proyekto,” he said.
“Bilyon-bilyon ang ginagastos taon-taon. Dasurv ng taumbayan malaman kung sino ang responsable, ano ang plano, at kung sumakses ba ito. Sa flood control, dapat wala ng turuan dahil may isang plano, may malinaw na pananagutan, may measurable results,” Pangilinan added.IMT
