Press Release - Revilla: "Hindi sapat na mabilis humupa ang baha dahil hindi naman talaga dapat bumabaha; national flood master plan, nasaan na?"

"Totoo man na mas mabilis ang paghupa ng baha ngayon, hindi pa rin tama na dito mapunta ang usapan! Kasi hindi na dapat pinag-uusapan yung paghupa, ang pinag-uusapan dapat ay yung hindi na magbabaha. Hindi sapat na mabilis humupa ang baha dahil hindi naman talaga dapat bumabaha."

This is the strong remark made by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. during the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Works on Thursday (August 1) pertinent to the recent massive flooding in Luzon last week.

Revilla, the chairperson of the committee, called for a legislative hearing immediately after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina to exact answers from relevant agencies on the status of government flood management projects.

"In our last hearing tungkol din sa flooding one year ago, August 2023, the DPWH and the MMDA made commitments and asked for time to implement these commitments. As early as the start of the year, lagi nating pinapaalalahanan ang mga ahensya na isaayos ang mga imprastruktura at drainage para sa paparating na tag-ulan at La Niña. Ngayon, heto na naman tayo. Same problem. Nandito na naman tayo para pag-usapan itong pagbabaha at kung anong aksyon ng gobyerno," the solon said in frustration.

During the inquiry, the veteran lawmaker presented footages of the typhoon's impact in several regions of the Luzon that were severely afflicted by the massive flooding

"Last Sunday, nag-conduct po tayo ng on-site at aerial inspection sa Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Bulacan, Pampanga. At kahapon lamang, sa Rizal. Sa Metro Manila, may ilang bahagi na lagpas tao ang naging baha. Umabot pa nga sa bubong ng mga bahay. Sa ilang parte naman ng Central Luzon, lubog din sa baha ang mga bahay at hanapbuhay. May mga lugar, baha pa rin hanggang sa ngayon. Sa CALABARZON, nag-trending din ang naging bilis na pagtaas ng tubig kung saan hindi na nadaanan ang mga kalsada," said Revilla who detailed the impact of the said flood.

It was also revealed during the discussion that despite the repeated calls of Revilla and other lawmakers in previous years, there is still no integrated national master plan for flood management. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) admitted that