Libanan to Marcos: Roll out national flood control program
Metro Manila, Philippines - House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, Aug. 15, to roll out a national flood control program in the aftermath of widespread flooding in July.
Libanan called on the president to convene a National Public-Private Flood Control Summit where experts, resources, and technologies can converge after businessman Ramon Ang volunteered to help address Metro Manila flooding at no cost to the government.
“This is not just a Metro Manila problem. Severe flooding now affects provinces from Northern Luzon to Mindanao. This is a national crisis that demands a countrywide solution,” Libanan said in a statement.
“The State must boldly lead this effort, especially since police powers will likely be needed to clear illegal structures, enforce zoning laws, and protect vital waterways,” the 4Ps party-list representative said.
He said structural measures, such as dams and drainage systems, and non-structural strategies, like reforestation and better urban planning, must intersect in a modern flood control master plan.
To avoid bureaucratic delays and legal hurdles, Libanan noted that the Congress could grant special emergency powers to the chief executive to allow quicker procurement, right-of-way acquisition, and relocation of affected families.
He said the national flood control program could be Marcos’ flagship initiative even if it would not be finished in his term.
“The president still has three years left in his term - enough time to lay the groundwork for a program that could stand as one of his most lasting legacies,” the lawmaker said. “Even if massive infrastructure works cannot be completed within three years, the blueprint and initial projects can be put in place for future administrations to finish.”
As of Aug. 15, the government reported 34 deaths and around two million affected families due to the three consecutive storms and the southwest monsoon that battered the country last month.
