JV Ejercito bats for creation of water management department to ensure focus, curb corruption, fix flooding and water woes
October 21, 2025
Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito urges the government to fast-track the creation of a Department of Water Resources Management that will unify all water-related functions of government, prevent corruption in flood control and other water projects, and strengthen the country’s response to both flooding and water scarcity.
Citing the country’s recurring problems of drought during dry months and severe flooding during the rainy season, Ejercito said it is time to place all water management, flood control, and dam operations under a single agency to ensure singular focus that will provide long-term planning and efficient use of resources.
“It’s about time that we really put all projects for water management — dams, spillways, flood control — under one full-fledged department,” Ejercito said during the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget hearing of the Committee on Finance on Monday, October 20.
“Water is becoming scarcer every day. ‘Pag tag-ulan, ang dami nating tubig; ‘pag tag-init, tuyong-tuyo, wala naman tayong tubig. Nasasayang.”
Ejercito said the proposed Department of Water Resources will help ensure efficient management of resources and that floodwater can be properly impounded for future use, rather than wasted.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon expressed full support for the proposal, confirming that even President Bongbong Marcos has backed the idea.
“I think the President himself has supported this initiative. I think it is part of several discussions already with Congress and especially on the LEDAC,” Dizon said.
“We fully support the creation of a separate Department of Water that will handle this. Kailangan po talaga yan, very, very important po yung water resources management. We will support this 100% po,” the DPWH chief added. #
