Pampanga approves P371.8-million disaster fund for 2027

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Facing both the aftermath of devastating floods and the prospect of prolonged dry conditions, the Pampanga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has approved a P371.8-million Local DRRM Fund for 2027.

The budget was cleared on 29 September at the Kingsborough International Convention Center, where officials presented firsthand accounts and imagery of the destruction, including a collapsed 270-meter slope protection wall along Sapang Balen Creek and severe erosion in Barangay San Roque, estimated at P11 million in repair costs alone.

Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda presided over the meeting on behalf of Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, joined by mayors and disaster officials from the province’s 20 towns and cities.

PDRRM Chief Janica Yambao confirmed the allocation is directly shaped by verified data from the enhanced southwest monsoon: 408 barangays submerged, 375,093 families affected, P1.48 billion in agricultural losses, and 40,167 farmers and fisherfolk reporting damage.

“This is not just a budget — it is our direct response to what we witnessed firsthand,” Yambao stated. “Every program targets the gaps exposed when the rains came.”

The fund covers four pillars: flood prevention and infrastructure works, including slope protection, river control and debris clearance; expanded evacuation facilities; faster rescue response capabilities; and sustained livelihood recovery aid.

Yambao emphasized that prevention and mitigation measures also address the other side of the climate challenge: a recently released outlook flags Pampanga among areas facing potential dry conditions by the end of October.

“This budget covers water management, storage, and agricultural resilience — all designed to safeguard our food security through both wet and dry extremes,” she explained.

For long-term recovery, the budget sets aside food-for-work, cash assistance and livelihood restoration specifically for farmers and fisherfolk whose harvests and equipment were destroyed.

The provincial government emphasized that the goal is not merely to rebuild but to build back stronger, so communities are more resilient to whatever weather pattern comes next.