Malacañang on Tuesday said the government cannot guarantee a flood-free Philippines during the rainy season despite ongoing flood mitigation efforts, but assured the public that improvements are already being seen in several flood-prone areas.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration remains focused on reducing the impact of flooding through infrastructure upgrades and continuous maintenance operations under the government's flood-control initiatives.
"Tuluy-tuloy po ang paghahanda ng gobyerno para sa pagpasok ng tag-ulan. Hindi po pinapangako na hindi na babaha pero ang assurance ay nagtutulung-tulong ang mga concerned agencies to ensure na mas mabilis humupa ang tubig baha at siguruhin hindi ito natetengga nang matagal katulad ng dati," Castro said, quoting Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon.
The statement comes as questions continue to hound the government's flood-control program following allegations of irregularities in flood mitigation projects that surfaced last year.
Castro cited early results from "Oplan Kontra Baha," launched in November 2025, which includes drainage rehabilitation, waterway clearing and pumping station upgrades in Metro Manila and other flood-prone areas.
Among the projects highlighted was the drainage improvement along G. Araneta Avenue toward Eulogio Rodriguez Boulevard in Quezon City, where residents reportedly observed faster water runoff during recent rains.
She also pointed to completed drainage projects along A. Bonifacio Avenue and Taft Avenue, noting that while flooding still occurred in some areas, floodwaters subsided more quickly than in previous years.
The Palace official added that dredging, declogging and waterway clearing operations have continued uninterrupted since late 2025, while DPWH maintenance crews have been rapidly deployed to areas affected by recent flooding incidents.
Meanwhile, Castro said evidence gathered by the Department of Public Works and Highways regarding alleged anomalies in flood-control projects has already been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman for investigation.
The issue gained national attention after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a review of flood-control projects and DPWH spending. Upon assuming office last year, Dizon also ordered a P255-billion reduction in the agency's proposed 2026 budget, including the removal of funding for locally initiated flood-control projects.
The Palace statement came as the state weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, warned that the southwest monsoon or habagat would bring rains across large parts of Luzon and Western Visayas, including Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro.
