President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured Filipinos on Saturday that the government’s P300 billion budget for flood control projects will push through until 2026. But this time, he stressed, the projects will only move forward if strict safeguards are in place.
Speaking in Gonzaga, Cagayan, where he personally led the distribution of aid to residents and farmers hit by Super Typhoon Nando, Marcos made a firm promise: no more wasted funds, no more unfinished projects.
“Flood control projects will continue. But before approval, we must see proper proposals, a clear program of work, proper completion—and now, we require acceptance from the local government. That is the new safeguard we have put in place,” he explained.
The President admitted that in the past, massive funds for infrastructure and flood control projects were often misused or left incomplete. That, he said, will not happen under his watch.
“We will make sure that what we saw before will never happen again,” Marcos vowed. “Every centavo of your money—because this is not ours, it is yours—will be used properly.”
Marcos reminded everyone that government officials are only custodians of taxpayers’ money.
“We are just guardians of your money,” he said. “It does not belong to us. It belongs to you.”
Earlier, the President ordered the transfer of P255.5 billion originally allocated for flood control under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to other government priority programs. He also reinstated the requirement for local governments to formally accept projects before they are declared completed—ensuring accountability and full delivery.
With these measures, Marcos said he is determined to protect public funds and guarantee that projects truly benefit the people, especially communities vulnerable to flooding.
