'As the rains approach, the real work is already being done under the summer sun, beneath the surface of our rivers' FLOODING is no longer just a
“As the rains approach, the real work is already being done under the summer sun, beneath the surface of our rivers”In reality, it has become a recurring national crisis, more so with the belly-aching and unconscionable trillion peso flood control ghost projects.
Yet amid this cycle, two parallel efforts are beginning to converge into a more coherent national response: the Better Rivers PH program of San Miguel Corporation under Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang and the renewed push of the Department of Public Works and Highways under Secretary Vince Dizon.SMC has intensified its dredging operations during the summer months, when river levels are low and excavation can proceed at full capacity.Across Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Laguna, major river systems such as the Pasig, Tullahan, San Juan, and Pampanga are being desilted, deepened, and restored.In Bulacan, some rivers have been widened and deepened from barely a meter to as much as four meters, improving flow toward Manila Bay. In Laguna, tributaries feeding Laguna de Bay are now being dredged to prevent dangerous spillovers. Yet even as these gains are made by SMC’s Better Rivers PH, the reality persists—rivers can silt up again, often due to human or public neglect. The re-silting of rivers is not merely a natural occurrence; it is often the direct result of human behavior—improper waste disposal, encroachment, and unchecked urban development. Thus, the return of debris and waste in previously rehabilitated waterways is a reminder that flood control is not a one-off project, but a continuing discipline. As RSA himself emphasized, “cleaner rivers mean safer communities—but only if the effort is sustained collectively.”Under Secretary Dizon, DPWH has begun tightening its focus on flood control projects—prioritizing efficiency, accountability, and completion over mere allocation. With a more disciplined budget framework and a directive that “every peso must count,” the agency is recalibrating how flood mitigation infrastructure is implemented—from drainage systems and pumping stations to river walls and floodways. More importantly, there is now a growing recognition that dredging must complement infrastructure. Clearing waterways upstream, as SMC has done, allows downstream flood control systems—many under DPWH—to function as designed. Without dredging, even the most expensive flood control structures risk being rendered ineffective. This convergence between the private sector initiative and public sector execution offers a more holistic approach to a long-standing problem. SMC’s Better Rivers PH operates at no cost to government, in partnership with local governments. DPWH, on the other hand, provides the institutional backbone—engineering standards, national planning, and long-term infrastructure. Together, they form a continuum: from riverbed to floodway, from upstream clearing to downstream control. But even this alignment will fall short without public cooperation.Improper waste disposal, encroachment, and unregulated development continue to undo progress. Flood control, ultimately, is a shared responsibility. As climate change intensifies—with stronger typhoons and unpredictable rainfall—the need for proactive measures becomes urgent.There is little glamor in dredging rivers or reinforcing drainage systems.Because in the end, the battle against flooding will not be won by a single project or a single agency. It will be won by convergence of effort, discipline, and of collective will and consciousness of every citizen.As the rains approach, the real work is already being done under the summer sun, beneath the surface of our rivers. In the end, flood control is not just about clearing waterways. It is about clearing the path toward a safer and more resilient future.
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