Davao City Congressman Isidro “Sid” Ungab is calling on former Committee on Appropriations chairpersons, Representatives Zaldy Co and Stella Quimbo, to explain why critical foreign-assisted flood control projects were diverted from the 2024 and 2025 national budgets.

Ungab made the revelations during the budget hearing of the Department of Public Works and Highways on September 5, where he presented evidence showing the significant budget cuts and eventual removal of major Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)-funded flood control projects.

Billions in ODA funds slashed, removed

Ungab revealed that the National Expenditure Program for FY 2024 and FY 2025 included 11 large-scale, high-impact ODA projects with a combined allocation of ₱21.6 billion in 2024 and ₱27.5 billion in 2025.

These projects, which had already secured signed loan agreements endorsed by the Development Budget Coordination Committee and backed by sovereign guarantees, were designed to strengthen flood risk management, enhance climate resilience, and protect economic centers and vulnerable communities.

Included in these flagship initiatives were the Metro Manila Flood Management Project and the Pasig-Marikina Channel Improvement Project—both considered vital to alleviating chronic flooding in Metro Manila.

According to Ungab, the ₱21.6 billion allocation for 2024 was carried into the General Appropriations Bill but was cut by ₱5.49 billion during the House deliberations on third reading, and later completely deleted during the Senate and bicameral conference stages.
For 2025, the ₱27.5 billion allocation was slashed by ₱18.6 billion in the House-approved version, with only ₱8.9 billion retained. The final General Appropriations Act set aside ₱9.2 billion, representing a 67 percent reduction from the original proposal.

Call for accountability

Ungab said these budget cuts and deletions diverted resources away from ODA-validated, big-ticket flood control projects and instead redirected funds to smaller projects across legislative districts.

“As a former Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, I know the importance of carefully planned and vetted ODA projects,” Ungab said. “The rationale for deleting or reducing these flagship projects must be explained by both Cong. Zaldy Co and Cong. Stella Quimbo.”

He also clarified that the reductions in the General Appropriations Bill were drawn up by the House Small Committee during third reading, while the final deletions and changes in the approved General Appropriations Act came from the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations.

Ungab underscored that the diversion of funds had direct consequences on national flood management efforts and warned against undermining foreign-assisted programs that have gone through extensive planning and international agreements.