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The Philippine Star
December 26, 2025 | 12:00am
Better late than never. Amid the still widening corruption scandal, government officials say certain flood control projects will resume or be implemented. The difference this time is that the projects will be science-based.
You’d think using science to plan and implement flood control projects would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, the nation is now seeing that the officials in charge of the projects as well as the politicians who allocated funds had priorities other than flood control in mind.
In 2012, the country launched Project NOAH, for Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards. NOAH produced hazard maps identifying the areas prone to flooding, landslides, storm surges and other natural calamities.
But the government cut off funding for Project NOAH in 2017 under the Department of Science and Technology, and it was transferred to the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute. Only 60 percent of the hazard maps had been completed at that point, although the DOST still provides rainfall and Doppler data to UPRI and Project NOAH.
UPRI executive director Mahar Lagmay has noted that flood control projects across the country have been carried out haphazardly, piecemeal without coordinated planning, and with some projects even exacerbating flooding.
Today, with flood control projects in limbo, Congress is allocating P1 billion for UPRI as part of Oplan Kontra Baha, so the design and monitoring of flood control projects can be refined. Lagmay said the funds would help broaden the scope of NOAH hazard maps to cover multiple scenarios, taking into consideration the increasing incidence of extreme weather disturbances due to climate change.
All scientific studies point to the Philippines as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. But the flood control scandal has starkly shown how ill-prepared the country is for the devastation from extreme rainfall and flooding.
Despite the corruption scandal, the country cannot abandon the flood control program. After a thorough review of all existing and planned projects, the program must resume. Some structures that are actually aggravating flooding may have to be destroyed, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Lagmay has stressed the importance of building with nature in water-related infrastructure. Perhaps with people in jail and many others expected to face criminal indictment, public funds will be used judiciously, and those in charge of flood control will listen to the scientists and build with nature.
