DPWH chief asks senators for river dredging funds

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan is urging senators to allocate more funds for river dredging and desilting to improve flood control measures nationwide.

Bonoan highlighted that proposals for dredging and desilting budgets have been consistently excluded from the General Appropriations Act since 2023.

He noted the lack of funds even for the maintenance of existing dredging equipment.

Upon his assumption in July 2022, Bonoan discovered that no significant dredging or desilting had occurred in previous years.

This lack of maintenance has led to silted major rivers with shallow beds, causing frequent overflows during heavy rainfall.

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. supports the need for new dredging equipment and is pushing for its inclusion in upcoming budget deliberations.

Revilla advised Bonoan to actively advocate for the budget in the bicameral committee meetings to ensure the project's approval.