President Marcos ordered national and local governments to prepare for future floods following the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Carina” and the enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
“Let’s prepare for the next flood. This is the first typhoon during La Niña, and we still have a long way to go during this rainy season. So, we have to prepare for that,” the President said during a briefing in Mauban, Quezon where 986 families were displaced.
A low pressure area over the east of southern Mindanao will likely trigger rains on Monday as students troop back to school, the state weather bureau said.
Weather specialist Ana Clauren-Jorda said the LPA is forecast to cause rainy weather conditions on Monday in the eastern section of Southern Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and other parts of Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region and parts of Mindanao.
PAGASA, however, said there is only a slim chance the low pressure area could intensify into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours.
Mr. Marcos emphasized the need for a coordinated flood control strategy considering the changing weather patterns and rising sea levels.
He noted that previously flood-free areas are now experiencing flooding, highlighting the need for comprehensive, long-term projects and a reassessment of existing systems to adapt to changing conditions.
“We’re trying to assess what the significant changes are because all our flood control projects were designed based on past flooding…The areas that used to be safe from flooding – now everything has changed. So that’s what we need to figure out,” President Marcos said.
A total of 253 areas in the country were still submerged in flood due to the “habagat,” Typhoon “Butchoy” and “Carina,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Friday said.
The agency said Central Luzon still holds the highest number of flooded areas at 202, followed by Miraopa with 22 areas.
There are still 90 roads and 6 bridges across the country that were not passable and 24 areas still have power interruptions, NDRRMC said.
The Department of Agriculture, for its part, reported initial losses of P251.21 million across 12,764 hectares of affected farmland.
Agriculture assistant secretary Arnel de Mesa said 3,437 metric tons of crops were lost to the typhoon while 11,000 farmers were affected.
“Most affected crops were in the early vegetative stage, making them particularly vulnerable to the typhoon’s impact,” he said.
The most severely affected areas include Cotabato with damages at P65 million, Oriental Mindoro with P59 million, and Pampanga, P40 million. Regions 3, 8, 9, 12, and 13, and Mimaropa also experienced losses due to the enhanced monsoon season.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, pushed for the urgent update and implementation of the flood management master plan for Metro Manila in the wake of the massive flooding.
“There is already a flood control master plan in place. We just need to follow, update, and implement it,” Romualdez said while distributing relief goods to typhoon victims in San Juan City, Metro Manila on Thursday.
“We can’t avoid stronger storms and heavier rainfall due to climate change. We need to revisit and update our flood control masterplans, implement them fully, and consider relocation for residents in low-lying areas, particularly in places like San Juan and Marikina,” he added.
Romualdez said he supports calls to investigate the causes of the massive flooding and ensure proper use of flood control funds.
“Our oversight functions include ensuring accountability in budget spending. We will review if funds have been used effectively and efficiently, and address any misuse,” he said.
Romualdez said the proposed P6.3-trillion national budget for 2025 would include funding for flood control infrastructure that are responsive to needs of the time.
Senator Nancy Binay, for her part, said the flood control budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority will face rough sailing during the Senate budget deliberations.
“The worsening flooding in Metro Manila appears not to complement the increasing budget we are allocating for flood control projects every year,” she said.
“It is deeply concerning that, in this age of advanced technology and substantial resources, our flood management systems remain painfully inadequate. Were the billions of pesos to fund for the flood mitigation drowned?” she said.
