Building resilience before the next crisis. The Private Sector Advisory Council – Infrastructure Sector presented recommendations to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aimed at helping the country prepare earlier for earthquakes, floods, and water shortages through safer infrastructure, better flood management, and stronger water security. (Photo from PCO)
The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) called for faster and more coordinated action to make communities safer from earthquakes, floods and water shortages.
During its 8th PSAC Infrastructure Sector meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañan Palace, PSAC presented recommendations covering safer buildings, flood management and water security.
“We should not wait for the next earthquake, flood, or drought. We need to act before it happens,” said Sabin M. Aboitiz, PSAC lead convenor and president and CEO of Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
For building safety, PSAC pushed for the full implementation of PNS 49:2026, stronger standards for earthquake-resistant reinforcing steel, and tighter checks on imported cement. It also proposed a Building Resilience Seal for homes and buildings inspected and found to be earthquake-resilient.
The Council cited the need for stronger enforcement after 12,500 metric tons of imported cement were destroyed by the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2026 for failing key strength and durability tests. PSAC recommended strict enforcement of required testing before imported cement reaches the market.
On flooding, PSAC said solutions should look at the whole water system rather than individual projects. It recommended clearing the Manggahan Floodway, pursuing the Parañaque Spillway, supporting waste-to-energy facilities, and creating a Department of Water Resources to better coordinate flood control, drainage, drought response and water supply.
“On flooding, we cannot solve it project by project. We have to look at the whole system,” Aboitiz said.
PSAC also pointed to Metro Manila’s water experience as proof that preparing early can make a difference. Angat Dam fell to around 151 meters in 2026, below the 159-meter low during the 2019 El Niño. Yet Metro Manila avoided major El Niño-related water interruptions this year.
PSAC attributed the stronger water buffer to new water sources, lower water losses and improvements in storage and network management. It recommended earlier drought warnings and coordinated action before water levels become critical, as well as simpler and faster permits for critical water projects.
“What changed was not the drought risk. It was our ability to cope with it,” Aboitiz said. “Resilience does not happen by accident. We have to prepare and invest ahead of the need.”
Across its recommendations, PSAC emphasized one clear direction: move from reacting to disasters to preparing and acting before they happen.