President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants the government to draw up a comprehensive national plan on flood control that will cover several regions.

The President aims to make the country’s flood control response more effective amid the changing weather patterns that threaten communities.

Speaking during the situation briefing in Mauban, Quezon province on the effects of Typhoon Carina and Habagat, the President said government agencies, experts, and planners must consider climate change in drawing up a plan to respond to or mitigate flooding in the country.

According to the President, areas that were flood-free before are inundated now due to weather disturbances.

“Nabanggit mo (Quezon) Governor (Angelina Tan) na may mga lugar na dati hindi binabaha. Ganun din sa amin. Iyong dati hindi binabaha. Alam na namin kung saan pumupunta ‘yung tubig, kung saan mababaha. Pero hindi na, nagbago lahat. So, that’s what we have to figure out,” President Marcos told the briefing.

“Bakit nagbago ‘yan? Saan nanggaling ang tubig? Saan dumaan? Anong gagawin natin para harangin ‘yan? Para at least i-impound. Whatever, kung ano ba ‘yung magiging plano. The reason nga that ? kaya nga ako pa-ikot-ikot kasi ang flood control… Ang tubig hindi nangingilala ng boundary, kaya ang flood control has to be a big plan. Hindi puwedeng ? it will cross three, four, five regions,” he pointed out.

The President, however, acknowledged the current flood control system in Metro Manila is working. It only encountered difficulties because of the combined effects of Typhoon Carina, the southwest monsoon, and the high tide.

In the long term, however, flood control projects must be all-encompassing and should cover a wide range of areas that are now prone to flooding, Marcos said, adding it is the reason the government is trying to assess the significant changes in all flood control projects.

President Marcos added the sea level has already risen and the dikes built to protect low-lying communities could now be breached during high tides supported by other factors, which he said have to be reassessed.

Building higher dikes won’t solve the problem, the President said, stressing experts must understand water flow to manage flooding to shield production areas, residential communities, and other important infrastructures.

Former public works and highways secretary Rogelio Singson has already crafted an overall national plan that would be implemented for more than two decades at a tremendous cost, according to the President.

“Although it will work….and it crosses most of Luzon for the NCR pa lang ‘yun ha. But we have no choice, we have to do something. We have to learn how to handle the new normal,” he said. Presidential News Desk