DEPDev to Develop River Basin Master Plan by Next Year to Enhance Flood Control

The Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) is set to formulate a river basin master plan by next year, Senate Finance Committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian revealed on Monday, November 17.

During the budget deliberations for the proposed 2026 national budget, Gatchalian, who sponsored DEPDev's budget, addressed inquiries from Senator Risa Hontiveros regarding the agency's strategies to mitigate infrastructure damages caused by severe flooding.

Senator Hontiveros questioned whether DEPDev would consider allowing natural river flow instead of restricting waterways or enhancing upstream swamp water retention to better cope with typhoon-induced floods.

Responding, Gatchalian confirmed that releasing a master plan focused on each river basin is a priority for the agency in the upcoming year. He stated, "With regards to the river basin master plan, that is the plan of DEPDev for the coming New Year to release new master plans." He further explained that the agency will lead these efforts on a per-river basis to guide flood control projects.

Acknowledging the scope of the task, Gatchalian expressed optimism given that similar initiatives were commenced in previous administrations and now require updating. "That’s a big endeavor, but I believe it was started before and simply needs to be modernized," he added.

When Senator Hontiveros asked about the possibility of instituting mandatory insurance against flood-related damages, Gatchalian said such a project has not yet been initiated by DEPDev. However, he noted that the agency could explore integrating insurance coverage for flood-prone and climate-vulnerable areas in the future.

Gatchalian also highlighted the expectation that Secretary Arsenio Balisacan will conduct a comprehensive review of infrastructure susceptible to disaster impacts, particularly school buildings which often suffer during calamities.

Furthermore, Hontiveros emphasized the importance of collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which advocates for nature-based solutions to reduce the adverse effects of natural disasters. "I hope DEPDev will champion these river basin master plans in partnership with DENR to, if not completely prevent, at least mitigate future disaster impacts," she remarked.

Gatchalian concurred, pointing to the recent devastation caused by super typhoons Tino and Uwan, notably in Cebu, as a wake-up call for stronger government action. He assured that master planning is a mandated function of DEPDev, established by law to coordinate and assist relevant agencies in these efforts.

"Secretary Balisacan told me that master planning is part of DEPDev’s charter, so they are legally tasked to spearhead and support agencies in developing these plans," he confirmed.