Ranier Allan Ronda - The Philippine Star
October 22, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will recommend the construction of stormwater detention basins as a mandatory requirement for private real estate developments nationwide under updated building and land development codes.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced the policy proposal following an inspection of Megaworld Corp.’s 15,000-cubic-meter rainwater park in San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday.
Dizon hailed Megaworld for its initiative to build the detention basin that will not only address flooding concerns for their Capital Town development in San Fernando, but also for the broader community.
The developer revealed plans to convert an underground detention structure to hold an additional 5,000 cubic meters, raising the facility’s total capacity to 20,000 cubic meters for rainwater storage and gray water recycling during severe dry spells.
Dizon confirmed that he coordinated with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development to draft standard regulatory guidelines requiring private property developers to integrate water retention structures into new commercial and residential projects.
“We need to move from reactive flood control to proactive water management,” Dizon said. “In the Philippines, we face alternating severe rainfall and dry spells. Mandatory retention facilities allow us to capture peak floodwaters during heavy storms to prevent urban inundation, while retaining that same water for non-potable recycling during El Niño events or prolonged dry seasons.”
Dizon stated that he will present the proposed mandatory policy directly to President Marcos as part of long-term structural reforms to improve national climate resilience.
State of calamity
The Marcos administration should declare a state of national calamity with five regions in the country already hit by the super El Niño, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said yesterday as he called for aggressive measures to cushion the devastating impact of the phenomenon that has already wiped out nearly P7 billion in agricultural products.
Speaking during the Senate hearing for the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s proposed P171.3-billion budget for 2027, Pangilinan warned that the severe weather crisis requires immediate executive intervention.
Citing DA data, the senator noted that the drought is already damaging crops and livelihoods across five regions, including Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Calabarzon and Soccsksargen.
“I believe the executive department should seriously consider a state of calamity declaration so we can better address the challenges of super El Niño,” he added.
Pangilinan highlighted the urgency of the situation, pointing to P6.87 billion in drought losses recorded as of Sept. 26, expressing concern over the pace of the rollout of government aid, noting that only 2.53 million out of 11.12 million target beneficiaries had received assistance as of Oct. 6.
Pangilinan stressed that water and irrigation must be the centerpiece of the 2027 DA budget to protect livestock, fishponds and fisheries from extreme heat and water shortages.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., during the Senate hearing, said the country’s agriculture sector is expected to lose about P20 billion.
He added that production losses could reach one million metric tons (MT), affecting 350,000 hectares of farmland and up to four million farmers and fisherfolk nationwide.
Elevated production costs and the El Niño are also expected to cut the country’s palay harvest by about a million MT this year. It translates to about 700,000 MT in milled rice.
“Technically, we are seeing about a million tons of rice less than last year,” Tiu Laurel said.
The country produced 19.68 million MT of palay last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The DA said earlier that it will not suspend imports to strengthen domestic rice supply.
Rice imports are projected to surpass five million MT this year to build up sufficient stock, allowing the country to have about a 75-day supply by the end of 2026.
The monitoring of the heat index may resume as higher temperatures are expected due to the “very strong” El Niño by the end of the year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Adrian Kenneth Halili, Gilbert Bayoran, Josiah Antonio