DPWH: Flood Interventions Gradually Showing Results in Metro Manila, Other Areas

MANILA — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said the government's ongoing flood-control interventions are gradually producing positive results in various parts of Metro Manila and other areas of the country.

Dizon said several flood mitigation interventions have been launched since late last year as the government continues efforts to address flooding in communities repeatedly affected by heavy rains and overflowing waterways.

According to the DPWH chief, the interventions include the government's “Operation Kontra Baha,” which was launched by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as part of the administration's broader response to the country's persistent flooding problems.

Dizon said the results are now gradually becoming visible.

“Dahan-dahan, nakikita natin yung mga magagandang resulta nito.”

However, the DPWH secretary stressed that the work is far from finished.

“This Doesn't End Here”

Dizon emphasized that the government's flood-control interventions must continue, particularly because the country is dealing with problems that have accumulated over many years.

“This doesn't end here. Our interventions are continuous.”

He said the government needs to address what he described as year- and decade-long problems in the way flood mitigation efforts have been managed and implemented.

The statement comes as the administration faces continued scrutiny over the country's flood-control infrastructure and the effectiveness of billions of pesos worth of projects implemented over the years.

From Emergency Response to Long-Term Flood Management

Flooding has remained one of the Philippines' most persistent infrastructure and environmental challenges, particularly during the rainy season and periods of strong tropical cyclones.

For years, government agencies have implemented drainage improvements, pumping stations, river rehabilitation, dredging, flood-control structures and other mitigation measures.

But recurring floods have continued to raise questions about whether these interventions are properly designed, strategically located, adequately maintained and effectively implemented.

Dizon's latest statement acknowledges that the government is not simply dealing with individual flooding incidents.

Instead, authorities are attempting to correct what he described as decades of poorly managed flood mitigation efforts.

Operation Kontra Baha

The government's Operation Kontra Baha is part of the administration's continuing efforts to address flooding in vulnerable areas.

The initiative involves identifying areas affected by flooding and implementing interventions intended to improve water flow and reduce the impact of heavy rainfall.

Dizon said these efforts have been ongoing in different parts of Metro Manila as well as other areas across the country.

While early results are reportedly becoming visible, the DPWH chief made clear that the government cannot afford to stop.

The Real Test Comes During Heavy Rains

The gradual improvements reported by the DPWH will ultimately face their biggest test when Metro Manila and other flood-prone areas experience sustained heavy rainfall.

Flood-control infrastructure must not only work under normal conditions. It must also be capable of handling the extreme rainfall events that have repeatedly overwhelmed communities.

That means continued monitoring will be crucial.

The government will need to demonstrate that its interventions can produce measurable, long-term reductions in flooding, rather than temporary improvements.

Fixing Decades of Problems

Dizon's statement also highlights the larger challenge facing the administration.

The government isn't starting from scratch.

It is attempting to repair and improve a flood mitigation system that has been developed over several administrations and decades.

That makes the task considerably more complicated.

The question now is whether the current interventions can finally produce a sustained improvement in flood resilience—and whether the government can maintain the momentum beyond individual projects and emergency responses.

For now, Dizon says the early signs are encouraging.

But he also made one thing clear:

The flood-control campaign isn't over.

The interventions will continue, and the government says it intends to address the long-standing problems that have contributed to the country's recurring flooding.

KEY TAKEAWAY

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon says flood-control interventions launched since late last year are gradually showing positive results in Metro Manila and other areas. However, he stressed that the government must continue its efforts to address years and decades of mismanaged flood mitigation programs.

“False at Misleading”: When Denial Becomes the First Line of Defense

BBM Watch

January 03, 2026•2 min read

When controversy reaches the gates of Malacañang, the response is often swift — not with answers, but with denials.

Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. has rejected claims linking the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects, calling the allegations “false” and “misleading.”

On paper, the explanation is clean:
OSAP is not an implementing agency.
OSAP has no technical mandate.
OSAP exercises no line authority over DPWH.

And yet, Agila satire asks the question others avoid — if the office is unrelated, why does its name keep surfacing?

The issue traces back to Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, who released documents listing DPWH projects allegedly tagged with “OP (ES/SAP).” Leviste has openly stated he does not even know who the “OP” referred to — a detail that complicates, rather than simplifies, the narrative.

Enter the Palace clarification, echoed by Press Officer Claire Castro, who pointed the matter toward the Office of the Ombudsman, emphasizing that documents may be edited, annotated, or altered and therefore cannot be immediately treated as conclusive evidence.

Agila sees the pattern clearly:

• Documents surface

• Authority denies linkage

• Accountability is deferred

• Investigation is postponed

This is not yet a verdict — and Agila does not declare one.
But denial is not the same as transparency.

In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte has consistently argued that governance should not fear scrutiny. Investigations should not be treated as attacks, but as obligations to the public.

Scripture offers a sober reminder for moments like this:

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”
— Proverbs 18:17

The eagle does not rush judgment.
But it does not fly away when questions remain unanswered.

🦅 Agila waits — not for spin, but for substance.