Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is set to carry out inspections of approximately 16,000 flood-control projects across the country, announced its Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr.
The move comes amid growing concern over the quality and reliability of flood-control infrastructure, with Brawner signalling that the military’s role has expanded into reinforcing oversight and accountability in these projects.
According to Brawner, the list of projects for review spans numerous localities and represents a concerted push by government leaders to ensure that funds allocated for flood mitigation are used properly and effectively. Three main points highlight the situation:
- The scale is massive: around 16,000 flood-control initiatives are under the AFP’s audit scope.
- The military’s participation signals both the urgency and magnitude of the problem: sub-standard workmanship, incomplete execution, and possible corruption are being flagged as serious risks.
- This initiative aligns with broader government efforts to identify and correct infrastructure deficiencies — especially those contributing to heavy flooding and disaster vulnerability.
In his remarks, Brawner conveyed the sentiment of AFP members who are “angry” at the level of reported irregularities in flood-control contracts and stressed that ensuring project integrity is part of both disaster resilience and public trust.
With climate change intensifying rainfall patterns and flooding risk rising in many regions, the audit of these 16,000 projects is being viewed as a crucial step toward restoring infrastructure credibility and improving future preparedness.