DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the immediate declogging of drainage pipes along the South Luzon Expressway after heavy weekend rains rapidly flooded parts of Sucat and Magallanes.
Dizon said his agency will coordinate with SLEX operator San Miguel Corporation this week to inspect and clear obstructions in the expressway’s drainage system. He said he contacted SMC following the flooding, citing possible clogged sections and construction materials left inside the drainage lines.
“Baka merong mga naiwan doon na barado, may mga semento from construction na medyo na-clog nang konti,” Dizon said, adding that this was the agency’s initial suspicion.
The DPWH chief said flash floods struck the southern area after the weekend downpour, although floodwaters subsided in about 30 minutes, much faster than previous incidents that took hours to clear.
Dizon also inspected flood-prone areas in Parañaque City, where he attributed flooding in Barangay Moonwalk and nearby villages to siltation and garbage buildup in Dungalo Creek. He ordered dredging operations despite limited 2026 flood mitigation funds, saying the DPWH still needed to act because water could barely flow through the creek.
“Magde-dredge tayo dito kasi yung tubig halos hindi na umaagos e,” he said.
The drainage work comes as the country’s flood control program faces increased scrutiny, with separate investigations targeting political figures and former DPWH officials. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has said a second money laundering case against Leyte Rep. and former House speaker Martin Romualdez is being prepared in connection with the flood control scandal. His office is also validating the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial report while handling 35 to 45 flood control investigations.
In a separate development, the DOJ recommended plunder, graft and bribery charges against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and several former DPWH officials over the alleged manipulation of flood control allocations, bidding and public funds.
Dizon plans to allocate ₱50 million from DPWH savings for a flood interceptor project along Dr. Santos Avenue.
