00:00Some Senators questioned if the reclamation in Manila Bay
00:05is the reason for the flood near the Senate
00:08that caused the strong tides of Hurricane Karina.
00:11The Senate also had a say
00:14in the more than 5,000 flood control projects
00:17that were expanded by the government.
00:19Ma'am Gonzalez was able to point it out.
00:24The strong tides of Hurricane Karina
00:28became a road in front of the Senate in Pasay, Sadi.
00:31It was only the first time that happened.
00:33So, the Senators asked earlier...
00:36Is it true?
00:38Did the tides of the water
00:41outside Manila Bay cause the flood?
00:43Is reclamation the reason for the flood?
00:47Everyone has their own teachings
00:49and their own hands.
00:51Because there is no master plan.
00:55What do you want to happen here?
00:58Do you want to form a new agency?
01:01The agencies have no answer
01:03if the reclamation is the reason for the flood.
01:05The study is still ongoing here,
01:07especially if there are extreme events
01:09like the flood that hit Manila Bay.
01:11But according to the DENR,
01:13reclamation really has an effect
01:15on the water flow in Manila Bay.
01:17Reclamation projects
01:19will slow down
01:21the flow of water
01:24and will change the circulation
01:26and retention of pollutants
01:28and organic materials
01:30that are already in the bay.
01:32This does not include yet
01:34what will be coming
01:36from the inland.
01:38I foresee flooding
01:40caused by reclamation projects.
01:42So, let's include in the master plan
01:44those that are being reclaimed
01:46here in Manila Bay.
01:48Senate President Chiz Escudero
01:50first reported
01:52the loss of gasoline from a pumping station
01:54near the Senate.
01:56But the DPWH admitted
01:58that the pumping station was also damaged.
02:00More than 5,000 flood control projects
02:02were also heard
02:04that were largely completed by the government
02:06in small projects.
02:08These are the immediate projects,
02:10engineering interventions
02:12all over the country
02:14that are not included
02:16in the master plan.
02:18These are the
02:21stand-alone projects
02:23to provide immediate relief
02:25to low-lying areas.
02:27And in 2024,
02:29there will be no funds
02:31for the large flood control projects.
02:33In 2024,
02:35all foreign-assisted projects
02:37will be removed
02:39that are larger
02:41than all flood control projects.
02:43Is that correct?
02:45And in the unprogrammed fund
02:47of 2024 GAA,
02:49these flood control projects
02:51that have debts
02:53that are facing other countries,
02:55is that correct?
02:57That's correct, Your Honor.
02:59It was the same situation in 2023.
03:01The DPWH has no funds
03:03for additional equipment
03:05for dredging
03:07or for the removal
03:09of flood drainage.
03:11This is the reason why
03:13all of our major rivers
03:15are silted
03:17and the riverbeds
03:19are very shallow.
03:21The riverbeds have become very shallow
03:23to a point that
03:25any downpour
03:27that we call,
03:29the riverbanks will overflow.
03:31Senators also denied
03:33that there is still no national master plan
03:35for flood control
03:37that according to the DPWH,
03:39is already being updated.
03:41But the other master plan,
03:43my father's time,
03:46so I will ask,
03:48where will the billions
03:50of pesos go
03:52if there is no master plan?
03:54We also have a misconception
03:56that whenever the President
03:58changes,
04:00the project also changes.
04:02That's why it seems
04:04that the plan is being repeated
04:06because whenever the President changes,
04:08the plan also changes.
04:10When the DPWH
04:12denied the 20-year flood control master plan
04:14in Metro Manila
04:16that was made in 2013,
04:18it is being continued even though
04:20there are already three administrations.
04:22For GMA Integrated News,
04:24Mav Gonzales reporting for 24 Hours.
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