The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is under fire as questions of irregularities cloud many of its flood control projects. On Wednesday, Secretary Vince Dizon made it clear: before adopting a science-based approach to planning, the agency must first finish what it already started.
At a House appropriations committee hearing on DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget, lawmakers pressed the agency to align its flood control efforts with data from Project NOAH, a program of the University of the Philippines long respected for its hazard mapping.
“Chairperson Mika Suansing suggested we use a science-based approach, specifically Project NOAH, which is perhaps the most reputable institution when it comes to flood hazard data,” Dizon recalled. Many members of Congress, he added, also pushed for Project NOAH to be the backbone of new flood control proposals—especially in high-risk red zones.
But Dizon did not mince words. The DPWH, he said, cannot move forward with new plans until it cleans up the problems in existing ones.
“Number one, we already have ongoing flood control projects. Those must be our priority—especially given the questionable issues raised nationwide,” he said.
According to Dizon, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been firm on one directive: fix the mess, rebuild trust, and prove that government projects truly serve the people.
“We will clean this up—and we will clean this up now,” Dizon stressed. “The President wants to build trust, not only in DPWH but in the entire government. Our citizens need to see that we are serious about addressing the issues in these projects.”
That call for accountability comes at a high price. Lawmakers slashed ₱252.5 billion from DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget. Originally set at ₱881 billion, the revised figure now stands at ₱625.78 billion—a nearly 29% cut.
For now, the DPWH faces a daunting task: complete ongoing projects under intense scrutiny, restore the people’s confidence, and prepare the ground for a future where science—not politics—guides flood control planning.
