Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said the P268 billion funding for flood control projects under the proposed budget of the for 2026 should be reduced.

During the briefing on the proposed P880 billion budget of the DPWH, Dizon  disclosed before the House appropriations panel that the P268 billion flood control fund already accounted for over 32% of the agency’s budget for next year.

“We need to start correcting the proposed DPWH budget with the errors pointed out by the member of Congress, projects which are either completed but still funded, double counting (multiple funding allocations for same project), iyan po ang kailangang immediately tanggalin (We need to immediately remove those),” Dizon said.

“Secondly, we need to comprehensively review the P268.3 billion flood control budget. Iyan po, kailangan natin bawasan without compromising ‘yung mga area na nangangailangan. Nakikita natin ngayon na mga inimplement na flood control noong mga nakaraang taon, maraming kailangang ayusin at linisin. Hindi na dapat magdagdag pa sa lugar kung saan kung hindi naman kinakailangan [ng flood control]. Malaki pong pagbaba [sa flood control budget] ang kailangang mangyari,” Dizon added.

Earlier, the House appropriations panel chairperson and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing said only flood control projects in flood-prone areas should be funded.

“To rationalize the funding of flood control projects for 2026, I am strongly advocating for the use of Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Standards under the UP Resilience Institute as the main determinant for identifying which flood control projects should be allowed for funding in the 2026 budget. Only those indicated as red zones as per the flood hazard map of Project NOAH should be allowed,” she said.

“What are red zones? These are areas posing high risk of fatality. Either high flood waters or flood water levels or high velocity of water flows. Ibig sabihin po, kung ano lamang po ang mga proyekto na kasama sa red zones at kung ano lamang po ang kasama sa proposal ng DPWH na nakabase po sa feasibility studies at galing po, endorsed po ng Regional Development Council ang dapat pondohan,” she added.