BBM wants improved typhoon alert system

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed disaster response agencies on Tuesday to provide timely and accurate warnings about incoming typhoons.

Marcos made the directive during the sectoral meeting with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in Malacañang Palace.

“The safety of our people is our top priority. I have directed our disaster response agencies to ensure Filipinos receive timely warnings about incoming typhoons, along with clear instructions on what actions to take and where to seek shelter or assistance,” Marcos said.

He made the statement in a Facebook post days after typhoon "Carina" and the enhanced southwest monsoon battered several parts of Luzon. “We are committed to developing technology to protect lives from future calamities,” Marcos added.

In a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said they presented to Marcos the measures undertaken by DPWH “to mitigate the flooding problems all over the country and in particular, we focus also on Metro Manila area.”

Since the Marcos administration took over in July 2022 to May 2024, Bonoan said about 5,521 projects were accomplished or completed.

“I have to clarify that the many of these projects also started way back in the previous administrations but these were projects that we have to continue because these were delayed because of the pandemic and other factors,” Bonoan said.

The figure includes 3,107 completed projects that were started years earlier. A total of 2,414 flood control projects were started and completed from 2022 to 2024.

Of the completed projects, most were in Region III (838 projects), National Capital Region (656 projects), Region V (513 projects), Region I (453 projects), and Region IV-A (435 projects).