The former chief of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) has called for a comprehensive audit of the country’s P245-billion budget for flood control projects for 2024 amid the massive flooding in the capital region following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina (international name Gaemi).

Atty, Nicasio Conti, former commissioner of PAGC, now the chief executive officer of research firm Capstone-Intel Corp. said the current budget for flood control under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been raised from P185 billion in 2023, reflecting commitment to address the flooding issues.

“The Filipino taxpayers are hit three times for paying for ineffective flood control projects, incurring personal losses during calamities, and funding the calamity response and rehabilitation efforts,” said Conti in a statement over the weekend.

He stressed that public’s trust is undermined when these services fail to deliver, especially given the significant funds allocated for flood control. “The Filipino taxpayers deserve better public infrastructure services including effective flood control projects.”

Conti said people pay taxes diligently in exchange for government programs and services, including safety and security during calamities such as typhoons and widespread flooding.

However, the massive flooding in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan highlights the mismanagement and possible corruption within these projects.

“Due to the improper use and allocation of funds for flood control caused by corruption and substandard projects, taxpayers are short-changed,” he said. The misuse of funds leads to inadequate infrastructure that fails to protect the public effectively.

Conti added that families affected by the massive flooding are faced with double whammy for additional costs of rehabilitating flooded homes, damaged properties, appliances, and vehicle. “The public not only suffers from the initial flood damage but also incurs additional expenses for rehabilitation and repairs,” he said.

“What is worse is that despite the allocated funds to prevent flooding, these funds are not used properly,” said Conti. The taxpayers’ money is again used for the calamity fund and rehabilitation, thus, resulting to the three-fold burden of taxpayers. the burden thrice: paying for ineffective flood control projects, incurring personal losses, and funding the calamity response and rehabilitation efforts.

Atty. Conti stressed that the flood control budget for the DPWH 2024 at ₱245 billion surpassed the overall budget allocation of key executive branches, highlighting the government’s prioritization of infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness. To illustrate:

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