Nagpasalamat si Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon kay Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva dahil sa pagsiwalat umano ng mga anomalya tungkol sa flood control projects mula pa noong 2023. 

"Naaalala ko, two years ago, si Senator Joel Villanueva, who hails from Bulacan, already talked about this in the Senate. He already called it out, as early as I think 2023," saad ni Dizon sa isang panayam sa media nitong Huwebes, Setyembre 4, sa Plaridel, Bulacan. 

“I would like to personally thank Senator Joel because as early as 2023 he was already calling this out. I know he is being accused of a lot of things but the fact is in 2023, when this was not yet a thing or a hot [issue], Senator Joel was already calling this out,” dagdag pa niya.

Giit pa ni Dizon, sinabihan siya ni Villanueva na marami pa itong matutuklasang ghost projects sa Bulacan. 

Sen. Bato, masayang nakita ang apo

“And in fact, I spoke to him, and I said ‘I was coming here’, and he said, ‘Marami pa diyan’. And I think that is absolutely true because that’s what we’re getting also from DPWH. Bulacan pa lang ‘to, Bulacan pa lang ‘to,” aniya.

Kaugnay na Balita: DPWH Sec. Dizon binisita P96M flood control project sa Bulacan: 'Mga hayop ang gumawa nito'

Ang Bulacan ang nangunguna sa top 10 provinces na may pinakamaraming bilang ng flood control projects na umaabot sa 668. 

Maki-Balita: ALAMIN: Mga lugar na talamak ang flood control projects

Sa isang plenary session noong Agosto 2023, patungkol sa budget deliberations ng DPWH, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), at iba pang kinauukulang ahensya, nabahala si Villanueva sa patuloy na pagbaha sa Metro Manila at iba pang bahagi ng bansa mula pa noong 2016. 

“Our flood control system is still not working properly. We still do not have a proper program on how to address the flood situation in our country," saad ng senador.

Naghain din noon si Villanueva ng Senate Resolution No. 693 na nag-uutos sa naaangkop na komite ng Senado ng magsagawa ng "inquiry" kaugnay sa mga plano at programa ng gobyerno upang mapabuti ang urban drainage system at flood protection ng Metro Manila at iba pang mga lugar sa bansa.