PhilStarGlobal-Aug 20
As calls for accountability over the country’s flood control system intensify, cyclones and worsening weather conditions continue to overwhelm local communities. The contrast raises a stark question: How much has been spent to prevent floods, and how many lives have still been lost? Since 2022, the Philippines has spent P545 billion on flood management, according to preliminary findings from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s probe. The president has personally inspected several projects, including one in Bulacan that he described as a “ghost project.” Both chambers of Congress have opened separate inquiries into the flow of funds. Philstar.com reviewed death tolls from weather-related disasters using records from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) from 2022 to 2024. These include fatalities from cyclones, low-pressure areas and shear lines. An average of 212 people have died each year since Marcos took office. The figures include all deaths reported by the NDRRMC, even those not directly linked to drowning. The Department of Public Works and Highways has acknowledged the existence of “ghost projects” in the system. Lawmakers and the executive branch are pressing forward with investigations. The issue is not whether the government has funds to mitigate floods, but whether it can spend them effectively. Because in the end, the price of failed projects is measured not only in pesos—but in lives. Read more at:
