CASIGURAN town in Sorsogon, which was allocated P385 million for flood control projects in the proposed 2019 budget, was not among the flood-free areas identified in three documents on the risk of flooding in the Philippines, said House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.
He was referring to the World Bank Study on Reducing Vulnerability to Flooding in Metro Manila, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Study on Nationwide Flood Risk Assessment and Flood Mitigation Plan for Selected Areas in the Republic of the Philippines, and the hazard map prepared by Project Noah.
Malou Lacuna, chief of the Planning Division of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Bicol Region, admitted that they do not use these documents as basis for identifying which provinces will be prioritized in terms of flood control projects.
During the hearing Thursday, January 3, conducted by the House committee on rules into the allegedly questionable budget practices of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the supposed anomalous projects earmarked for Sorsogon in the 2018 and 2019 national budget, Lacuna said the DPWH is using the Bicol River Basin and this covers Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Albay.
For Sorsogon, she said there is no master plan for flood control projects.
“We have no idea on the Casiguran flood control projects,” Lacuna further said.
Casiguran, Sorsogon is led by Casiguran Mayor Edwin Hamor, father-in-law of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
The House committee is looking into allegations that a total of P75 billion was inserted into the proposed 2019 budget under the DPWH. The government, however, is currently operating on a re-enacted 2018 budget.
Read: Andaya says Duterte has approved re-enacted budget
During the hearing, Andaya said Tropical Depression Usman showed him and other local officials in the Bicol region the areas that need to be given a huge budget for flood control projects.
“Maybe God was guiding us in our investigation, He showed us the areas that really need to be prioritized in terms of flood-control projects,” Andaya said.
“Personal nating nasaksihan kung ano ang mga lugar na binabaha at kung ano talaga ang mga lugar na nagangailangan ng ponso para mailigtas ang mga mamamayan sa sakuna,” he added.
According to Andaya the flooded areas in Bicol region due to Usman and the corresponding flood control project allocated in these provinces in the 2019 proposed budget are as follows: