Convene a flood summit

COMMONSENSE

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

It's been a month since President "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM) denounced his discovery of non-existing flood control projects of many typhoon-hit areas around the country. Since he did it in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 28, several low-level functionaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) found themselves in trouble. Some got sacked from post while one of them even got arrested for allegedly trying to bribe a billionaire legislator. Others were relieved from their respective posts and placed on "floating" status.

Known to be man slow to anger, PBBM minced no words in his fourth SONA before lawmakers of the 20th Congress, using the language of corruption known to them. PBBM described vividly how the Congress-approved 2025 budget of the DPWH instead caused suffering to many people in flood-prone areas that were visited by three successive typhoons and worsened by habagat last month.

Severe flooding has become a crisis of national proportions. Climate change is bringing more frequent and intense rainfall as scientific findings have long warned. Urbanization, deforestation, clogged waterways due to wanton waste disposal and poor zoning enforcement all compound the problem. This situation is not confined to Metro Manila.

Although the National Capital Region remains our most visible flood-prone urban center, it cost us very heavy economic losses due to declaring no classes at all levels of schools and suspending work in government offices a day before a projected typhoon visit. Like we had no rains at all yesterday but an over-eager Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced a day ahead the suspension of classes and work in all government offices.