Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III called for a shift in public behavior and accountability among politicians and government contractors to address the worsening issue of flooding in the Philippines.
In a privilege speech delivered Monday evening, Pimentel emphasized the need for personal and systemic changes to effectively combat environmental challenges, rather than blaming climate change alone.
He suggested that severe flooding and other hazards often attributed to climate change should have been evident since the Industrial Revolution, if it were the only contributing factor. Instead, he urged citizens to adopt better waste disposal habits.
“Let us put logic and system in discarding our trash,” stated Pimentel, highlighting the importance of proper garbage management.
The senator also called on contractors and suppliers of government services, along with construction company owners, to steer clear of politics and avoid conflicts of interest. He appealed to wealthy politicians to refrain from engaging in government contracts and instead invest in manufacturing.
“Manufacturing has the biggest impact on the direction of the economy because it is the main source of jobs, innovation, and increases in productivity,” Pimentel pointed out.
The opposition leader urged President Marcos to mandate transparency from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and other involved agencies by publishing the details of government flood control and management projects.
“Let us pierce the veil of corporate identity by letting the people know who are the individuals behind these lucrative flood control projects,” said Pimentel.
The Senate is set to hold a hearing on Thursday to scrutinize the substantial flood control budget, which exceeds ₱1 billion per day. Pimentel warned that even a modest 10 percent profit margin means contractors could be earning at least ₱100 million daily at the expense of Filipino taxpayers.
Pimentel’s call for character change comes after Senate President Francis Escudero and Senators Ramon Revilla, Jr. Alan Peter Cayetano, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, and Joseph Victor Ejercito criticized the DPWH for failing to curb widespread flooding last week despite a massive budget.
Escudero has called for a thorough investigation into the flood control projects, noting that Metro Manila remains plagued by severe flooding more than a decade after 2009’s catastrophic Typhoon ‘Ondoy.’
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