By Liza Soriano
MANILA – Senator Bong Revilla emphasized that concerned agencies should prioritize preventing floods rather than highlighting how quickly they recede.
“While it may be true that floods now recede faster, the discussion should not end there. We should be talking about preventing floods altogether. It’s not enough that the floods recede quickly; they shouldn’t happen in the first place,” Revilla stated.
This strong remark was made by the lawmaker from Cavite during the Senate Committee on Public Works public hearing on Thursday, August 1, 2024, concerning the recent massive flooding in Luzon last week.
Revilla also called for a legislative hearing immediately after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina to demand answers from relevant agencies regarding the status of government flood management projects.
During the investigation, the senator presented videos showing the typhoon’s devastating effects on other areas of Luzon that suffered severe flooding.
“Without an integrated national master plan to address flooding, our projects will continue to be patchwork solutions. Even if these projects are completed, without a holistic approach, the flooding will just shift to other areas,” Revilla explained.
“Without a whole-of-nation approach and a unified master plan, we are bound for disaster! Without it, all our efforts will be in vain. Despite numerous projects, flooding continues to be a recurring problem,” he further stressed.
(ia/mnm)