Why Central Luzon needs more than piecemeal flood projects

Flooding across Central Luzon during the 2026 Habagat season exposed the limits of fragmented, short-term responses to one of the Philippines’ most persistent hazards. Typhoon-enhanced monsoon rains, dam releases, high tides and reclamation projects combined to inundate parts of Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac. Floodwaters reached 4 to 6 feet in many barangays, displacing thousands, submerging