Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
Introduced by Rep. Christopher V.P. De Venecia 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Throughout history, civilizations have flourished in areas adjacent to rivers and 
streams. Rivers provide transportation, livelihood and means to irrigate surrounding 
agricultural areas. In Pangasinan, the thriving billion-peso bangus industry would not have 
come into fruition had it not been for the rivers surrounding the province. However, periodic 
floods occur in rivers, surrounding the region known as a flood plain.  This is due to the lack 
of flood control system and the absence or insufficiency of flood infrastructure. 
Coordination of all the districts in Pangasinan is essential for developing an 
encompassing and effective flood mitigation mechanism because of the interconnectedness of 
its river systems. Consequential to the inadvertence of such efforts leads to flooding of the 
neighboring districts including the 4th district of Pangasinan, due to it being a catch basin, and 
ultimately, resulting to the flooding of a larger area across the whole province. 
Hence, it is a necessity that an office be created addressing the issue of flooding that 
shall promulgate the coordination of the whole province’s flood mitigation efforts. This 
proposed office shall be under the control and supervision of the Secretary of the Department 
of Public Works and Highways, but shall be independent from the office of the Regional 
Director of Region I.   
The Pangasinan River Control System shall identify causes of flooding and will 
coordinate with various agencies to mitigate the after effects of flooding. Identification of the 
causes and inter-agency coordination are crucial in stemming the negative consequences of 
flooding. Thus, it is earnestly sought that this proposed office be given life.  
REP. CHRISTOPHER V.P.  DE VENECIA 
    Fourth District, Pangasinan 
November 29, 2022
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
Introduced by Rep. Christopher V.P. De Venecia 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF THE PANGASINAN RIVER 
CONTROL SYSTEM COVERING THE PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This act shall be known as the “Pangasinan River Control 
System Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby the declared policy of the State to protect and 
advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology. Towards this end, the 
State shall focus its resources and capability to implement and manage measures that will 
help mitigate the deleterious effect of flooding in the areas traversed by the Sinocalan, 
Marusay, Bued, Cayanga, and Aloragat River 
SEC. 3. Composition of the Pangasinan River Control Commission. –The Pangasinan River 
Control System Commission shall be headed by a Project Manager to be appointed by the 
Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The project manager shall be 
assisted by an assistant with the rank, qualifications and salary of a Project Manager II, to be 
appointed likewise by the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.  The 
Project Manager shall likewise be assisted by such technical, financial and administrative 
personnel which shall be provided in the Project Management Office staffing pattern or 
plantilla as may be recommended by the Project Manager and approved by the appropriate 
agencies of the national government.  
SEC. 4. Supervision of the Project Management Office. – The Secretary of the Department 
of Public Works and Highways shall exercise supervision and control over the Project 
Management Office. As such, the funds of the Project Management Office shall be 
automatically included in the annual budget of the Department of Public Works and 
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Highways and shall be released directly thereto by the concerned offices of the national 
government.  
SEC. 5. Jurisdiction of the Project Management Office. – The Project Management Office 
shall exercise original jurisdiction on matters concerning nationally funded major flood 
control projects in all the districts of Pangasinan. 
SEC. 6. Powers and Functions of the Project Management Office. – The Project 
Management Office shall exercise original jurisdiction to identify nationally funded major 
flood control projects in its areas of jurisdiction  including any and all activities related 
thereto such as, but not limited to, pre-feasibility studies, feasibility studies, pre-detailed 
engineering, detailed engineering, construction, repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of 
existing flood control facilities which are already existing but are presently under the 
jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The Project Management 
office shall also exercise the powers and functions to implement all major flood control 
projects within the Province of Pangasinan. 
SEC. 7. Procurement under the Project Management Office. – The Project Management 
Office shall also have the power to create its own Bids and Awards Committee for the 
purpose of undertaking the procurement activities for its contract whether for infrastructure 
projects, consultancy or goods.  
SEC. 8. Transfer of Personnel of the Regional and District Offices of DPWH to the Project 
Management Office . – Within sixty (60) days upon effectivity of this Act, to avoid 
redundancy and/or duplication of functions to implement all personnel of the Regional and 
District Offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways assigned to their major 
flood control projects shall be transferred to and absorbed by the Project Management office 
without loss of rights to seniority, security of tenure, diminution in rank and salaries and 
other monetary benefits which they are presently receiving on account of the positions they 
are presently holding.  
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the Project Manager shall create a Technical Working Group to promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act and submitted to the 
Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways or as may be required by law to 
other agencies of the national government for review and approval. 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. Funds necessary for the provisions of this Act shall be taken from 
the funds allotted to the Regional and District Offices in Pangasinan of the Department of 
Public Works and Highways for the implementation of nationally funded flood control 
projects in their areas of jurisdiction including but not limited to, pre-feasibility studies 
feasibility studies, detailed engineering, construction, rehabilitation, improvement, and or 
maintenance thereof. The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways or as 
may be appropriate and necessary, other officials of the concerned national government 
agencies are hereby directed to effect the transfer of the funds within sixty (60) days to the 
Project Management Office once this becomes operational. Exempted from this provision are 


construction, rehabilitation, improvement and or maintenance of flood control projects which 
are already on-going or are already bid out including those that are presently undergoing 
procurement process. 
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, and rules and regulations contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,