SENATE Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Erwin Tulfo on Sunday called for the passage of a bill to create an exhaustive, interconnected national infrastructure plan for 2027 as the government reinstated the budget for corruption-plagued flood control projects.
Senate Bill 1360, or the Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act, filed by Tulfo, is pending before the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs.
“The continued heavy rains exposed substandard public works such as bridges and roads. There are even unfinished projects because the initial phases were funded while the subsequent phases were left hanging,” Tulfo said in a statement.
“We are spending taxpayers’ money on these unfinished projects only to yield zero benefit from it — all these because of a fundamental lack of planning,” he added.
Tulfo said that the MIND Act gains heightened urgency as the upper chamber begins deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget.
“We have to triple our efforts to identify and complete hanging projects. And any projects which are about to start must be synchronized with the development plans down to the local level," the senator said.
"Infrastructure projects should stand the test of time, extreme weather, and even changing political climates. They must remain functional regardless of who is in power," he added.
Tulfo previously vowed to investigate substandard projects exposed by continuous rain and flooding in the past months.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman JV Ejercito has also pushed the passage of the proposed MIND Act to help address flooding. Ejercito said MIND aims to support the achievement of the overall long-term development vision for a prosperous middle-class Philippines and streamline private and public infrastructure investments.
It shall also ensure policy continuity and further define and clarify the role of various government agencies and instrumentalities in the development of critical infrastructure projects, he added.
Ejercito said MIND could not only provide better flood-mitigating facilities but also help prevent corruption, such as the current flood control mess.
"The flood-prone areas and major river basins have already been identified, so any flood control projects should prioritize the country’s top 10 flood-prone areas," Ejercito said during a radio interview.
"We need to close the gaps. The DPWH should address the remaining gaps and complete unfinished flood control projects," he added.
According to the Department of Budget and Management, the Marcos administration has set a P1.47 trillion budget for its “Build Better More” infrastructure initiative under the proposed P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program in 2027.
The bulk of the proposed infrastructure budget next year, or 42.2 percent, is allocated for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at P619.04 billion.
On Saturday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government will implement a P351-billion Flood Management Master Plan, emphasizing the need to administer long-term solutions to solve the massive flooding experienced by the country.
