Manila, Aug. 28 -- While the country spends billions of pesos on flood control and other infrastructure projects, these may worsen the country's climate risks, instead of easing them, if not guided by science and coupled with strict environmental safeguards, a scientist from the University of the Philippines (UP) Marine Science Institute said.

In an ambush interview on Wednesday at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) Project Transform Colloquium in Pasay City, Fernando Siringan warned that many projects continue to bypass or water down the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, undermining climate resilience and exposing communities to greater risks.

Unfortunately, he said that despite having a budget of ...