Flood control tops PHP 16.9B infra plan for Western Visayas

ILOILO CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has proposed PHP 16.9 billion in infrastructure projects for Western Visayas in 2027, with flood control getting the biggest share at PHP 6.07 billion.

Local infrastructure projects under a program alleged to be a vehicle for congressional pork barrel received the second-largest allocation at PHP 3.87 billion.

A Daily Guardian review of the proposed 2027 DPWH budget found 508 infrastructure projects proposed for the region.

The proposal is part of the national budget for 2027, which Congress must still review and approve.

The flood management program has 69 projects worth PHP 6.07 billion, or 35.9% of the region’s total proposed allocation.

 

Flood control spending has drawn heightened public scrutiny since 2025 over allegations of substandard and ghost projects nationwide.

The largest flood control project is the PHP 688.93 million Lamunan River Flood Control Structure downstream in Barangay San Andres, San Rafael, Iloilo.

The project falls under the Iloilo 3rd District Engineering Office (DEO), which covers 11 towns in northern Iloilo.

The Lamunan River flows through San Rafael and Passi City.

Other major river protection projects include the Ulian River Flood Control Project in Dueñas, Iloilo, and the Suage River Control Cluster, which covers three contiguous river control projects in Mina, Janiuay, and Pototan.

In Capiz, the proposed Panay River Basin Protection project involves two flood mitigation structures upstream and downstream along the Panay River in Panitan.

The Aklan River Basin Revetment Walls project proposes river defense structures spanning Banga, Libacao, Lezo, Malinao, and Kalibo.

In Iloilo City, three major creek revetment and drainage projects are proposed to help protect urban communities from flooding: the Buntatala Creek Revetment Wall, Lower Ingore Creek Drainage/Control, and Bo. Obrero Creek Control.

The proposed flood management portfolio also includes coastal seawalls and shoreline protection structures.

 

In Aklan, the New Washington Coastal Defense project covers two proposed seawalls in Poblacion and Tambak.

The first district of Iloilo has a proposed shoreline protection program worth PHP 1.20 billion, spanning Oton, Guimbal, and Miagao.

The proposed projects include five shoreline protection structures in Oton and four each in Guimbal and Miagao.

There are no proposed flood control projects under the Capiz 2nd DEO and the DPWH Region 6 office.

The DPWH Region 6 office has six proposed projects worth a combined PHP 222.30 million, with no entries under the traditional road, bridge, and flood management categories covered by the review.

More than 80% of the regional office’s proposed allocation, or PHP 180 million, is earmarked for a regional disaster resilience initiative involving the construction of evacuation centers.

The remaining PHP 42.3 million is earmarked for social inclusivity facilities for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and gender-responsive spaces at PHP 30 million, and for institutional rainwater collection and materials recovery infrastructure at PHP 12.3 million.

No ‘pork’ projects for Antique

The Basic Infrastructure Program (BIP) accounts for 287 projects worth about PHP 3.87 billion, or more than half of the region’s proposed infrastructure projects.

A recent Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) investigation reported that congressional districts were entitled to a minimum allocation of PHP 150 million in the DPWH budget.

Under that arrangement, lawmakers have a say in which projects get funded.

According to PCIJ, these allocations are lodged in the BIP, which has allegedly been used as a channel for congressional project allocations.

The BIP is intended to finance basic public infrastructure that improves community access and services, such as access roads and bridges, multipurpose buildings, and evacuation centers.

 

The proposed BIP funding is distributed among the region’s district engineering offices, except the Antique DEO.

The DPWH Region 6 office also has no proposed BIP allocation.

Antique is among at least 17 legislative districts nationwide with no proposed BIP projects.

Sixteen of those districts were represented by lawmakers who either voted against or did not participate in the May 2026 House impeachment vote involving Vice President Sara Duterte.

The exception was Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Antique Rep. Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda Jr. voted in favor of the House impeachment complaint against Duterte in May 2026.

Legarda was the lone Western Visayas lawmaker to vote against the earlier impeachment effort in 2025.

Despite having no proposed BIP entries, the Antique DEO has proposed funding for other infrastructure projects, including major arterial bridges, flood management structures, and a rainwater collection system.

Its proposed bridge projects include the Cangaranan Parallel Bridge, Viejo Bridge, Ypayo Bridge, Aureliana, Supa, and the repair of Sibalom Bridge.

Its flood management projects include the Cangaranan River Flood Control Structure in Barangay Ilaures in Bugasong and a drainage structure in Barangay Sto. Rosario in Tibiao.

Aklan has most BIP projects

The Aklan DEO has the largest number of proposed BIP projects among the region’s district engineering offices, with 75 projects worth PHP 545 million.

The proposal consists of 46 local access road projects and 29 multipurpose buildings.

Aklan’s 75 projects account for 26.1% of the region’s proposed BIP projects.

 

Aklan has two congressional districts, represented by Reps. Jesus R. Marquez of the 1st District and Florencio Miraflores of the 2nd District.

Other districts represented by House leaders also have substantial numbers of proposed BIP projects.

The Iloilo 1st DEO, in the district represented by Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, has 36 proposed BIP projects, while the Iloilo 4th DEO, in the district represented by Deputy Speaker Ferjenel Biron, has 32.

The Guimaras DEO has 25 proposed BIP projects.

The province is represented by Rep. JC Rahman Nava, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, which reviews and scrutinizes the proposed national budget.

The Iloilo 2nd DEO has the highest proposed BIP allocation in the region at PHP 563 million, accounting for 14.5% of total regional BIP funding despite having only 18 projects.

The district is represented by Rep. Kathryn Joyce Gorriceta.

The 287 proposed BIP projects fall into two main categories: multipurpose buildings and social facilities, and local access roads and bridges.

Multipurpose buildings and social facilities account for 153 projects worth approximately PHP 1.88 billion.

These include proposed barangay halls, civic centers, covered courts, and other community facilities.

Local access roads and bridges account for 134 projects worth approximately PHP 2 billion, connecting rural barangays, public facilities, and agricultural corridors to the primary road network.

The Network Development Program (NDP), which aims to expand, upgrade, and improve road networks, has 44 proposed projects worth PHP 3.14 billion.

The Capiz 1st DEO and Capiz 2nd DEO together have PHP 1.68 billion in combined projects, which represents more than half of the entire NDP budget.

Four offices — Antique DEO, Guimaras DEO, Iloilo City DEO, and DPWH Region 6 — have no projects under the NDP.