Bulacan stands under a State of Calamity once again. After successive typhoons in August and September, twenty-four areas are devastated, thousands of families displaced, and billions of pesos in damage to agriculture, fisheries, livelihood, and infrastructure. Vast sums have been allocated for flood control and disaster response — yet the flooding worsens annually.
Governor Daniel R. Fernando opened the provincial press conference at the Bulacan Provincial Capitol on September 18, 2026, with a voice heavy with the people’s pain. “Taon-taon ganito po ang aming sitwasyon. Bago pa po makarecover sa kalamidad, may papasok na na namang bagyo. Patak-patak pa lang ng ulan, nararamdaman na ng ating mga kababayan ang takot — dahil alam nila ang hirap na kasunod. Ito lamang po ba ang aming realidad?” The full proceedings were broadcast live by the Provincial Government of Bulacan, viewed by over 26,000 people, with residents commenting publicly on the urgent need for action.
Colonel Bonoan presented detailed maps showing floodwaters scattered across communities and identifying high-risk zones throughout the province — visual evidence of the widespread devastation. His data confirmed that thousands of barangays face recurring flooding, with significant portions of flood control structures reported as incomplete or substandard.
Turning directly to DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon, the Governor spoke plainly and publicly. “Secretary, binabaha na ang Bulacan. Batid po natin ang mga anomalous DPWH flood control projects — kawalan ng plano, kawalan ng kalidad, bilyon-bilyon na halaga — at ang masaklap, walang naging solusyon. Hindi lang high tide ang dahilan — kundi baradong ilog, substandard na proyekto, at dekadang hindi pagdredge.” The province had long sought answers. Through Executive Order No. 22 (2023) and Executive Order No. 23 (2025), the provincial government pushed for an Integrated Flood Control Master Plan and established monitoring mechanisms — yet the flooding persisted.
Secretary Dizon acknowledged the gravity of the crisis and laid out immediate, practical interventions. He emphasized dredging and desilting to restore the waterways, explaining that shallow rivers and clogged waterways — worsened by years of neglect — were at the root of the problem. He also spoke of closing the gaps in flood control structures through relocation and community cooperation, citing successful efforts in Calumpit where families agreed to move and dikes were finally connected. And while long-term construction takes years, he proposed deploying modular flood barriers — quick, affordable, and proven effective — to provide immediate protection while permanent solutions are underway.
Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Governor Fernando closed with a commitment to shared responsibility, saying that isolated projects would never be enough — what was needed was an integrated, sustainable, and interconnected approach. He called for full transparency, close coordination, and genuine partnership between the national government, the province, and the people. “Ang pondo ay nariyan — dapat itong makita sa gawa, hindi lang sa papel. Ang taumbayan ay nagtitiis — hindi na sa salita, kundi sa tunay na solusyon na darating nang tama at darating nang mabilis.”
