Flood Control Failures in the Philippines: Misalignments and Corruption
Flood-prone areas in the Philippines remain vulnerable despite government spending billions on flood control infrastructure. Corruption, misaligned projects, and ghost projects are cited as key issues. Advocacy groups call for holistic solutions incorporating scientific assessments and community input to protect vulnerable communities from escalating flood risks.
In the Philippines, communities remain exposed to severe flooding despite substantial government investments in infrastructure. Reports reveal that many flood control projects are misaligned with flood-prone areas and suffer from corruption and inefficiency.
The country's authorities have allocated billions of pesos toward flood control, including dykes and seawalls. Yet mismanagement, 'ghost projects,' and corruption have left towns in provinces like Bulacan vulnerable, as noted by advocacy groups and government investigators.
Experts and organizations like Greenpeace Philippines stress the need for comprehensive flood risk management strategies. They advocate for combining structural and non-structural solutions, highlighting community consultations, scientific assessments, and nature-based solutions as critical components of effective flood risk mitigation.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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