The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Monday announced that it has completed the draft of the National Flood Management Framework, a policy blueprint aimed at providing a unified and long-term direction for flood risk reduction in the country.

The agency said the framework seeks to shift flood control management away from a “largely reactive disaster-response approach” and integrate it into holistic and sustainable water resources management and development planning.

“It adopts an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach, treating flood control not as a stand-alone intervention but as part of an interconnected system that supports irrigation, water supply, hydropower, food security, environmental protection, and local development,” the DENR said.

Environment Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla said the framework is designed to serve as a convergence point for the many government agencies involved in water resources, land use, and infrastructure development.

Lotilla noted that water and flood control investments are largely managed outside the DENR, primarily by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

The framework aims to align infrastructure development, watershed management, and local land-use planning “to ensure that public investments contribute not only to flood mitigation but also to water storage, irrigation, and even potable water supply.”

The DENR said the National Flood Management Framework is anchored on four core principles. First is the prioritization of nature-based solutions at headwaters, citing the role of healthy watersheds and restored ecosystems in addressing the root causes of flooding.

Second, the framework promotes the strategic impoundment of stormwater for multiple benefits, reframing floodwaters as valuable resources that can support irrigation, potable water supply, and energy generation.

In downstream and urban areas, the framework calls for the integrated use of green and grey infrastructure. The DENR cited examples such as combining natural systems—including wetlands, river easements, and mangrove belts—with well-designed and properly maintained structures like dikes, revetments, and pumping stations supported by modern monitoring and early-warning systems.

The framework also emphasizes land-use planning and risk-sensitive development, ensuring that growth and infrastructure decisions are guided by flood hazard data and environmental safeguards.

Lotilla said the framework reflects a shift in how floodwaters are viewed, particularly during the dry season.

“How we string these together – so we can store water, use it during the dry months, and reserve some for treatment – that is the convergence point. The framework is really designed to bring the different agencies together,” he said.

The DENR said the draft framework is now being circulated among key agencies, including the DPWH, the NIA, and local government units, for further refinement.

“This process aims to establish a unified national direction for flood risk reduction, resilient land use, and sustainable water resources management before the rollout of coordinated programs and project packages,” the agency said.