Senator Bam Aquino is advocating for national flood mitigation funds to be directed exclusively toward high-quality, proven infrastructure projects, pointing to the successful models implemented in Marikina City and Navotas City.

During an interview on Headstart with Karen Davila, Sen. Aquino announced that the Senate will rigorously examine the more than P100 billion in unprogrammed funds allocated for flood control in the proposed national budget.

“Ang mangyayari diyan, itong P100 billion na iyan, aaralin namin. Anong mga lugar iyan? What are these projects?” Sen. Aquino stated. “Or these are real flood control projects like what we’ve seen in Marikina, in Navotas. Yung totoong infrastructure talaga na nakakatulong sa tao.”

To ensure effective spending, Sen. Aquino believes that flood control projects should only receive funding if they can demonstrate real-world success during severe weather events, such as recent typhoons and the Southwest Monsoon. Furthermore, he urged a thorough review of how these funds are distributed, arguing that resources must be prioritized for flood-prone congressional districts rather than being spread uniformly.

In line with this stance, Sen. Aquino recalled confronting former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan over reports that flood control funds were being distributed equally across regions—even in areas without flood risks—a practice the former secretary failed to justify.

The value of well-designed flood mitigation is clearly demonstrated by the recent performances of both Marikina and Navotas. In Marikina City, modernized flood-control initiatives under Mayor Maan Teodoro allowed floodwaters along major roads to subside rapidly, marking a significant improvement over the catastrophic flooding of 2009’s Typhoon Ondoy despite receiving comparable rainfall.

Meanwhile, Navotas showcased the benefits of sustained infrastructure investments championed by Rep. Toby Tiangco. The city’s integrated network of coastal dikes, navigational gates, and pumping stations operated continuously during heavy rains, successfully preventing high-tide seawater from entering communities while efficiently draining rainwater from local streets.

Watch the full interview of Headstart with Bam Aquino below: