A MANILA congressman has called out Vice President Sara Duterte over her “unfair” criticism of the Marcos administration, particularly on disaster preparedness.
Duterte last week said that the government lacks a “comprehensive plan and robust infrastructure to deal with disasters,” resulting in massive flooding not just in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country.
Manila’s 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said that instead of blaming the present leadership, Duterte should look back on the administration of her father, Rodrigo Duterte, who had six years to implement a flood management master plan.
“The comment of our vice president is unfair, because firstly, if we look at it, the amount of rainfall from the last typhoon (Carina) was more than that of Ondoy. And during the onslaught of Ondoy, Metro Manila was badly submerged,” Chua said in a public forum over the weekend.
“Another thing is, the administration of the President is only two years old, compared to the previous administration. So, if she’s talking about the master plan for flood control, it should have been done during the time of her father,” he said.
Chua said Duterte’s bailiwick of Davao was the beneficiary of the biggest flood control funding of P51 billion “just for one district.”
“If we are to sum it up, the two districts of Davao, if I’m not mistaken, had more than P80 billion — and yet, when they were also hit by a strong typhoon, Davao also experienced massive flooding. That’s why I think her statement was uncalled for and unfair,” he said.
Duterte also said, “The Philippines currently has a government that admits we don’t even have a flood-control master plan,” a claim dispelled by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The Comprehensive Flood Management Masterplan was crafted during the term of President Benigno Aquino III, but its implementation had been hampered by delays, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The P351-billion project — tagged to be the “most expensive and most ambitious” at that time — was designed to solve the perennial flooding problem in the National Capital Region.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan earlier said that at least 70 percent of Metro Manila’s problem with flooding is expected to be mitigated once the government fully implements the project, which includes the construction of the Marikina Dam — to be built atop the Wawa Dam and the Manggahan Flood Control Gate.
Both are projected to prevent floodwaters from upstream from submerging low-lying areas in the NCR during the monsoon season.
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