MANILA—Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is calling for a nationwide flood-control policy anchored on a single integrated, science-based master plan and a clearly accountable lead authority for each metropolitan area or major river basin.

Pangilinan said fragmented flood-control projects could waste public funds and merely redirect flooding from one community to another because  water does not follow political boundaries.

“Walang kinikilalang political boundary ang tubig. Kung tingi-tingi ang plano, tingi-tingi rin ang solusyon. Ang nangyayari, tumatagos lang ang baha sa mga kalapit-bayan,” Pangilinan said.

“Kailangan nang i-overhaul ang kasalukuyang flood-control system ng bansa. Palitan ng isang master plan na may isang chain of accountability na transparent sa lahat at measurable ang results para sa mga river basin at metropolitan area,” he added.

Under his proposal, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority would oversee planning, coordination and monitoring across Metro Manila. Flood-control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), local governments, water concessionaires and other agencies would have to conform to a single metropolitan flood-control master plan.

Outside Metro Manila, Pangilinan said DPWH flood-control programs should be organized according to entire river basins instead of congressional districts, provinces, cities or municipalities.

These would include the Pampanga, Agno, Cagayan, Bicol, Agusan and Mindanao river basins.

In Central Luzon, where communities have experienced massive flooding following weeks of habagat-induced rains, planning for the Pampanga River Basin would cover interconnected waterways affecting Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and neighboring areas, he said.

Pangilinan also proposed creating a publicly accessible database containing the budget, contractor, specifications, timetable and role of every flood-control project under the master plan.

He said project selection should be based on hydrological studies, hazard maps, climate projections and data from Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) and other scientific institutions.

He further proposed independent audits that would assess not only whether projects were constructed according to specifications but also whether they actually reduced flooding without worsening conditions in other areas.

Pangilinan said similar principles have long been recommended by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and Project NOAH in their flood-management and climate-resilience frameworks.

“Hindi accomplishment ang maraming proyekto kung baha pa rin ang komunidad. Hindi lang laki ng gastos ng pamahalaan ang sukatan. Sukatan din kung mas ligtas ang mga pamilya, nabawasan ang baha, at sulit ang bawat pisong ginastos sa proyekto,” Pangilinan said.

“Bilyon-bilyon ang ginagastos taon-taon. Dasurv ng taumbayan malaman kung sino ang responsable, ano ang plano, at kung sumakses ba ito. Sa flood control, dapat wala ng turuan dahil may isang plano, may malinaw na pananagutan, may measurable results,” he added.