The Palace said on Tuesday that government agencies have been ordered by the President to take the climate change issue into account during a meeting on August 31, in response to concerns that the Climate Change Commission’s proposed policies have been falling on deaf ears.

“Hindi na po mangyayari iyan dahil pagtutuunan po ng pansin ang isyu patungkol sa climate change, at iyan po ang binigyang-diin mismo ng Pangulo kahapon sa naganap na meeting,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

“Dapat natin itong paghandaan (ang mga epekto ng climate change) at lahat ng mga polisiya, batas ay dapat ipatupad – iyan ang nais ng Pangulo,” she added.

Prior to taking questions, Castro claimed that master plans for urban infrastructure layouts in parts of Metro Manila and Cebu, established in 1941 and 1936, respectively, have been flouted, resulting in severe flooding.

“Hindi nasunod ang mga master plan noon pang 1941 para sa Metro Manila, at 1936 para sa Cebu. Kung nasunod lamang daw ang mga ito, marami ang mga lugar na hindi dapat natayuan ng imprastraktura at ang mga lugar na bahain ang dapat nanatiling libre at walang imprastruktura para siyang tumanggap ng tubig ulan,” she explained.

The Palace official said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be strictly enforcing “No Build Zone” laws for Filipinos’ safety.

“Ayon sa Pangulo, dapat ipatupad ang batas pati ang ‘no build zone.’ Huwag nang mamulitika, ipatupad ang batas at dapat ipaliwanag sa lahat na kailangang mas maging istrikto sa pag-implementa ng batas para sa ating kaligtasan,” she told reporters.

She further explained that laws that would have effectively preempted or mitigated the heightened impacts of climate change were dismissed in favor of the “palakasan system” or culture of favoritism, patronage, and popularity schemes in political circles.

President Marcos, she said, is determined to put a stop to this, and impose strict compliance with the said laws.

“Marami tayong magagandang batas pero hindi naipapatupad nang maayos dahil sa palakasan system or corruption. Hindi na ito dapat, hindi na ito maaari ayon kay Pangulong Marcos, Jr. Alamin natin ang epekto ng climate change at ipatupad ang batas nang walang pinipili o walang pinapaboran,” Castro said.

With the master plan having been disregarded for around 40 years now, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has been tasked with identifying remedies to alleviate the rapid rise of floodwaters, she disclosed.

“Sa ngayon po ang tutok po kasi ni Secretary Vince Dizon at iyan po ay inulat niya sa Pangulo ay iyong mabilisang remedy sa ngayon, at kung mayroon mang gagawin pang mga long-term solutions iyan po ay pinag-uusapan. Pero sa ngayon ang tutok ni Secretary Vince Dizon ay kung ano agad ang paraan para maibsan ang epekto ng malakas na ulan at ang mabilisang pagtaas ng tubig-baha,” she said.

While the administration will be unable to implement all proposed remedies before the end of Marcos Jr.’s term, Castro said that the positive effects of the DPWH’s reforms have begun to be felt in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Sa ngayon naman po ay nararamdaman na natin sa Metro Manila. Marami na po ang nagsabi kahit na po si Congressman Toby (Tiangco) at saka si Secretary (Rexlon) Gatchalian sa Valenzuela ay alam nilang mayroong epekto iyong mga nagawa na po ng DPWH,” she said.

The Palace press undersecretary noted that current downpours are heavier than they were ten years ago. The ways by which communities have dealt with those quantities of rainwater are no longer effective today, Marcos reportedly said, calling for an adjustment in remedies.

“So, kailangang i-adjust ang mga dapat na gawin para mas angkop sa nangyayaring climate change ngayon,” Castro said.