Background: Soaring DPWH DRR Budgets
The University of the Philippines’ National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) has raised concerns that, despite sustained and even soaring allocations for disaster risk reduction (DRR), the country continues to experience high disaster impacts. A policy note issued recently emphasizes that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is central to reducing disaster risk, yet the agency’s budget for DRR has grown dramatically in recent years.
Drilling into the Numbers
According to the policy note, DRR-related funding accounted for as much as 83% of the DPWH’s total budget in 2025, totaling roughly P926 billion. This dwarfs the P248 billion tagged under the Flood Management Program. The trend holds for 2023 and 2024 as well: 73% of the DPWH budget in 2023 (P684.48 billion of P893.12 billion) went to DRR-related infrastructure, and 83% in 2024 (P836.83 billion of P996.79 billion).
UP-NCPAG notes that while the DPWH has received the highest DRR funding among government agencies, its investments in flood infrastructure appear to fall short of delivering the desired mitigation outcomes. Many flood control projects are described as substandard or even non-existent, helping explain why communities continue to suffer flooding impacts despite large-scale spending.
Disaster Impacts Persist Despite Funding
The policy note asserts a paradox: “despite significant budgetary increases, the impacts of disasters have remained high.” The DPWH’s flood-control projects are intended to reduce flood damage, but the persistent vulnerability suggests systemic flaws beyond budget size alone. UP-NCPAG emphasizes that disaster risk reduction is not solely a DPWH responsibility; however, the agency has received the largest slice of DRR funding for years, making it a focal point for evaluating effectiveness.
Broader Budget Context and Possible Misuse
UP-NCPAG’s analysis shows that from 2015 to 2024, the DPWH led the nation in climate-change expenditures. In 2024, climate-related projects reached P375 billion, focused on construction and maintenance of flood mitigation and control structures. This figure excludes roads, which other agencies classify as climate mitigation measures. Additionally, the DPWH has been a top recipient of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM) Fund and has benefited from Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) for flood control and related infrastructure.
In 2024, the UA provided DPWH with P155.881 billion under Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Projects, while 2023 saw P60.847 billion for Priority Infrastructure Programs for Roads, Bridges, and Flood Control. UP-NCPAG cautions that even with higher allocations, there is a widening gap between investments in flood mitigation and actual infrastructure damages from flooding, hinting at potential fund mismanagement or misallocation.
Alarming Patterns and Concrete Examples
The analysis highlights Albay as a case study: 273 flood-control projects since 2018 with P16.2 billion allocated, while infrastructure damage from 2017 to 2023 reached about P7.3 billion—significantly higher than the funds when compared to damages. This pattern, observed in multiple regions, signals that flood-control projects are not delivering expected resilience.
Recommended Actions
To address these issues, UP-NCPAG recommends several concrete steps:
- Expand independent investigations beyond the Flood Management Programs to review all flood-control and disaster-related projects.
- Advocate transferring the DPWH’s DRR function to a dedicated, specialized agency to improve oversight and accountability.
- Enhance transparency and accountability in the use of DRR/UA funds to minimize misallocation and potential misappropriation.
By proposing these measures, UP-NCPAG aims to align funding with real-world outcomes, ensuring that every peso spent on DRR translates into safer communities and more effective flood mitigation.
