Press Release - Senator Imee Marcos demands full accountability for ₱132 billion Bicol flood control budget

Senator Imee R. Marcos has slammed the continued severe flooding in Bicol, despite an enormous ₱132 billion allocated since 2018 for flood control in the region.

"It's unacceptable that ₱132 billion has been designated for Bicol flood control projects, yet communities remain inundated, and families are suffering. The public deserves transparency on where these funds went," Marcos stated.

According to the 2024 General Appropriations Act , Bicol received ₱31.94 billion this year alone, bringing the six-year total to nearly ₱133 billion. Of this amount, over ₱86.6 billion was allocated in just the past two years, yet Typhoon Kristine has once again left the region in crisis, exposing inadequate infrastructure and critical gaps in flood mitigation.

Senator Marcos is demanding that government agencies, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), provide a full accounting of the funds and progress of these projects. She supports a thorough investigation into the budget's use, set for discussion in the November budget hearings.

"For the 2025 budget, we need concrete, well-engineered solutions that effectively address climate threats--not outdated projects that risk lives, homes, and livelihoods," she emphasized.

Meanwhile, recent statements by House Committee on Appropriations chairperson and Ako-Bicol Party List Rep. Elizaldy Co dismissed claims of billion-peso allocations for Bicol, emphasizing a tighter infrastructure strategy. Co credited Speaker Martin Romualdez's Congress for supposedly curbing unnecessary flood control expenditures. Marcos, however, questions these assertions, urging a deeper investigation into the use of public funds.

"It's clear that these supposed 'meaningful projects' are not reaching the communities that need them most. We need accountability, not just rhetoric," Marcos emphasized, hinting at gaps in the administration's strategy. The senator backs a full audit in the upcoming budget hearings to address these inconsistencies and misaligned priorities.

SENADORA IMEE MARCOS NANAWAGAN NG PANANAGUTAN PARA SA ₱132 BILYONG PONDO NG BICOL PARA SA FLOOD CONTROL

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