The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recommendations that will help address the flood control challenges and improve digital connectivity, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

PSAC comprises business leaders and experts across six main sectoral groups — agriculture, digital infrastructure, jobs, healthcare, Build-Build-Build and tourism.

PSAC’s flood mitigation recommendations include the construction of retarding basins and dams along critical waterways, enactment of ordinances that require property developers to install rainwater detention systems, and enforcement of easement laws to clear floodways of obstructions, including informal settlements.

Coconut-based garbage traps for barangays should be implemented to prevent drainage blockages, the group said.

“Our recommendations are a result of close collaboration between the private sector and the government, with the goal of bringing positive, lasting change,” Sabin Aboitiz, PSAC lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

PSAC also urged comprehensive planning for critical waterways and bridges affecting major roads like EDSA and Roxas boulevard.

To further support flood management, local government units (LGU) are encouraged to collaborate on a unified approach and invest in waste-to-energy projects through public-private partnerships, the group said.

The Napindan River should also be dredged to improve the outflow of Laguna de Bay. The Water Resources Management Office, in collaboration with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, would oversee these initiatives, PSAC said.

For long-term flood control, PSAC has recommended implementing a river basin master plan, including the widening of the Manggahan Floodway and launching a nationwide watershed restoration program, particularly in priority areas like Marikina.

Reforestation efforts will be essential for environmental recovery, PSAC added, suggesting that the Parañaque Spillway project is revisited and a flood diversion tunnel from the Upper Marikina River to the Pacific Ocean is constructed.

To streamline efforts, PSAC said it supports consolidating water and drainage management under the proposed Department of Water Resources.

On digital connectivity, PSAC has recommended expanding mobile network coverage through the construction of 100 new mobile towers by July 2025, providing coverage to 100 barangays and Department of Education schools, with 500,000 Filipinos gaining free internet access through the BBM Internet Promo.

To expedite the rollout, PSAC has recommended simplifying the permitting process by adopting unified LGU forms. Legislative reforms such as institutionalizing the Center for AI Research and creating an open, secure API ecosystem are also pivotal for fostering digital innovation, the group said.

The PSAC has been established by Marcos to create and strengthen innovative new synergies between the private and public sectors.