Understanding the Shadow Flood Control Budget
A recent UP-NCPAG policy note reveals that over P115 billion was allocated in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for flood control projects outside the official Flood Management Program (FMP). Known as the “shadow” budget, this allotment has grown consistently from about P81.6 billion in 2022 to P115.3 billion in 2025, according to the UP-NCPAG analysis. The report notes that the 2025 shadow flood control allocation is nearly 50% larger than the FMP’s own funding for flood control.
What the Shadow Budget Covers
According to the policy note, most of the 2025 shadow budget funds the construction or maintenance of general flood protection infrastructures—walls, revetments, dikes, slope and riverbank protection, drainage systems, and coastal protection. In effect, a large share of flood control spending occurs outside the main program, raising questions about transparency and alignment with disaster risk reduction objectives.
Broader DRRM Spending and Hidden Risks
The UP-NCPAG emphasizes that while flood management is often highlighted, other disaster risk reduction and management expenditures deserve scrutiny. This includes DPWH allocations for earthquakes, landslides, fires, and storm surges embedded within other program areas. Although these were not explicitly labeled as “disaster” expenditures, they are critical investments in reducing multi-hazard vulnerability.
Road Infrastructure vs. Flood Control Outcomes
Amidst the flood control debates, road infrastructure remains a major expenditure. The 2025 GAA lists road-related funding at approximately P541.98 billion, underscoring priorities that may influence resilience differently. The report notes that in 2011 the DPWH’s total allocation for roads was half of that amount, and in 2024 the combined flood control programs (official and non-official) totaled around P363 billion, a scale that dwarfs some targeted flood defense projects.
Case Studies: Provincial Impacts
Albay’s flood mitigation efforts illustrate the complexity of translating investment into outcomes. The province invested about P16.2 billion in flood control across 273 projects since 2018, yet still suffered P7.3 billion in infrastructure damages from 2017-2023—the highest in the country. Oriental Mindoro shows a similar pattern: P11.3 billion across 138 projects could not avert P4.1 billion in infrastructure damage, excluding broader losses in agriculture and livelihoods. These examples suggest that sheer investment levels do not automatically equate to resilience.
Recommendations and Reforms
To address concerns about governance and efficiency, UP-NCPAG recommends:
– Investigations by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) into officials and contractors involved in shadow and non-FMP projects.
– Expanding oversight to cover flood-control structures and disaster-related works tagged in other DPWH programs, including roads and evacuation centers.
– A framework for pattern identification across District Engineering Offices (DEOs) to spot vulnerabilities and potential corruption.
– Systemic reforms, including transferring DRR functions from DPWH to a dedicated agency, to reduce risk-sensitive constraints and corruption exposure.
– Strengthened budget accountability, aided by technology to track projects from planning through delivery.
Looking Ahead
The UP-NCPAG calls for robust oversight and structural reforms to ensure that every peso spent on flood control and disaster risk reduction translates into real, measurable resilience. As the DPWH and other agencies navigate scrutiny, the push for transparent budgeting and performance-driven investments will shape the Philippines’ ability to withstand future hazards.
