SENATOR Bam Aquino has called for a reassessment of the proposed ₱243-billion flood control budget for 2026, urging that funds from non-essential projects be redirected to more urgent social services such as education and healthcare.

Aquino, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said the government should prioritize programs that directly address the basic needs of Filipinos.

“If we really concentrate and put the money where the important programs are, ano ba talaga ang dapat pagkagastusan natin nang tama?” Aquino asked during his interpellation on the privilege speech of Senator JV Ejercito, principal sponsor of the Universal Healthcare Act.

“The ₱243 billion in the 2026 budget for flood control, I’m guessing mababawasan. That will be slashed significantly. I’m hoping some of that will go to education and maybe some of that will go to healthcare,” he added.

Aquino emphasized that free education and healthcare are basic rights that remain underfunded. With adequate support, he said pressing concerns such as the 166,000-classroom backlog, shortage of school equipment, and universal healthcare coverage could be addressed sooner.

“Five million kids don’t have chairs. Close to 25 percent of our schoolchildren aren’t even sitting in seats. We lack 166,000 classrooms. These are immediate and medium-term issues. If we get the funding now, maybe in a year or two years, that can be resolved,” he stressed.

He also pressed for clarity on the funding required to fully implement the Universal Healthcare Law.

“Magkano ba talaga iyong kailangan para ma-achieve natin ang goal of universal healthcare? Kung hindi malinaw iyong numerong iyon, hindi rin malinaw ang ating mga goal,” Aquino said.

To strengthen oversight, Aquino filed Senate Resolution No. 28, seeking a review of how the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other agencies utilized the ₱360 billion flood control budget under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

He noted that despite ₱1.47 trillion spent on flood control from 2009 to 2024, Filipinos continue to suffer from poor drainage, outdated pumping stations, and ineffective flood mitigation programs.

As part of efforts to bridge the education gap, Aquino also filed Senate Bill No. 121, or the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act. The measure would authorize capable local government units and private partners to build classrooms that comply with national standards, with funding support from the national government.

Aquino said reallocating excessive flood control funds could significantly help close gaps in education and healthcare.

“If we’re able to cut where we’re supposed to cut and allocate where we’re supposed to allocate, mas maaabot natin iyan. Hindi siya as impossible as it may seem,” he added.