Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called for a national dialogue that would address both the practical causes of flooding and the recurring corruption that undermines the country’s flood-control efforts.
In a Facebook livestream, the Minority Leader stressed that flood-control projects and government reforms alone cannot end the country’s recurring floods.
Cayetano said the Philippines needs a comprehensive strategy that connects flood-control infrastructure with urban planning, land use, rural development, accountability, and ultimately national values.
“Hindi debate [but] a national dialogue on transforming our nation and how we can ensure that as much as possible, it’s flood-free.”
“There has to be a national dialogue and discussion. Hindi debate [but] a national dialogue on transforming our nation and how we can ensure that as much as possible, it’s flood-free,” the veteran legislator said.
The seasoned lawmaker noted while poor design and faulty implementation of flood control structures contribute to flooding, other systemic factors must also be addressed, including rapid urbanization, improper land-use and building permits, weak rural development, population density, and inadequate sanitation.
The senator explained that as cities become denser and more land is covered with concrete, problems involving drainage, sanitation, and land use also increase.
He also linked this overcrowding in cities to the lack of jobs, services, and infrastructure in rural communities.
These factors, Cayetano said, must be studied and addressed together through a national dialogue.
“Hindi pwedeng ‘yung beautiful, brilliant ideas na paisa-isa. Kailangan po kumpleto-rekado para ma-solve po ‘yung flooding,” he said.
Solution to recurring corruption
But Cayetano said technical solutions and government reforms would have limited effect if corruption continued to return.
He said corruption had repeatedly resurfaced under successive administrations, often worse than the previous one, despite reforms introduced after each controversy.
Cayetano traced this pattern from allegations of abuse and corruption during Martial Law to what he described as “decentralized corruption” under President Corazon Aquino, Department of Health controversies under President Fidel Ramos, the jueteng scandal under President Joseph Estrada, the fertilizer fund scam under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Napoles pork barrel scam under President Benigno Aquino III, and alleged ghost projects under the present administration.
“There were changes, there were reforms, but there was no renewal, there was no transformation,” he said.
Cayetano reiterated that lasting change requires a national transformation rooted in values such as integrity.
He explained that values shape people’s daily actions. These actions become habits, habits build character, and character eventually forms personal and national identity.
“Wala pong pagbabago ‘pag walang pagbabago sa values.”
“Wala pong pagbabago ‘pag walang pagbabago sa values,” Cayetano said.
He ended his livestream by urging Filipinos to pray for those affected by the severe weather conditions and for the country to experience lasting transformation.
“Prayers po that hindi lang change, but we will experience talaga po a God-given transformation. How do we do that? Sabi po sa Bibliya, seek first His kingdom and righteousness and everything else shall be added unto us,” Cayetano concluded.
