Question & AnswerQ&A (LETTER OF INSTRUCTION NO. 408)
The Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (DPWTC) is designated as the overall coordinator for the preparation and implementation of the flood control and drainage plans and programs.
The Task Force shall prepare a 10-year development program for catchment basins or impounding reservoirs, review and revise the Metropolitan Manila Flood Control and Drainage Program, and build, test, and operate models to evaluate alternative flood control schemes.
The major basins mentioned are Pampanga, Agno, and Cagayan.
Dikes and other protective structures must be seen as a "last line of defense," with a more comprehensive "first line of defense" focusing on watershed management and multipurpose reservoirs in the upper reaches.
They must coordinate with and advise the Task Force, ensuring that bridges, culverts, inlets, and related structures allow smooth floodwater passage to prevent constriction and clogging of waterways.
The Department of Natural Resources (particularly the Bureau of Forest Development) and the Department of Agriculture (particularly the Bureau of Soils) are tasked jointly with these programs.
The National Economic and Development Authority, in coordination with the Budget Commission and Department of Finance, shall allocate five billion pesos (P5 billion) over ten years, with an initial outlay of one billion pesos (P1 billion).
Local government entities, especially barangays, shall be consulted to incorporate local conditions and indigenous experiences related to flooding, erosion, and water scarcity into the programs.
The Department of National Defense, through the Philippine Air Force and the Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey, provides necessary maps, survey data, and conducts aerial mapping when necessary.