MANILA – Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has questioned the effectiveness of the government’s flood control spending after data showed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) allocated P1.939 trillion for flood control management from 2011 to 2025, even as severe flooding continues to hit parts of the country.

Lacson raised the issue as heavy southwest monsoon rains triggered flooding and disrupted activities in several areas, including Metro Manila.

“FLOOD CONTROL VS UNCONTROLLED FLOOD: PhP1.939 trillion funded the DPWH flood control management program under three presidents from 2011-2025 and the result is uncontrolled flood,” Lacson said in a post on X.

Based on figures cited by Lacson, annual DPWH flood management allocations increased substantially over the period, surpassing P100 billion in 2018.

Year	Flood management allocation
2011	P11.323 billion
2012	P10.816 billion
2013	P15.817 billion
2014	P30.001 billion
2015	P47.849 billion
2016	P67.740 billion
2017	P81.223 billion
2018	P139.001 billion
2019	P126.062 billion
2020	P116.047 billion
2021	P140.462 billion
2022	P145.622 billion
2023	P287.018 billion
2024	P346.771 billion
2025	P372.814 billion

Lacson said the figures show a sharp increase in flood control spending, particularly in recent years, without a corresponding resolution of the country’s persistent flooding problem.

Last year, he noted that the government had already spent more than P1 trillion over 15 years, equivalent to roughly P350 million a day, on flood management while flooding continued to affect communities.

The senator has since raised concerns over alleged anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindorothrough privilege speeches and hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Lacson and his staff also uncovered alleged irregularities involving slope protection projects and illegal reclamation activities in Taguig City. The evidence gathered was subsequently referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

The latest criticism comes as the government faces renewed scrutiny over the effectiveness, implementation and allocation of its multibillion-peso flood control program amid increasingly frequent and severe flooding episodes.